Bits and Pieces
by Literature Rogue
Summary: Post 'Things Change'. A week after seeing 'Terra' at the school, Beast Boy is acting withdrawn and just plain unBeastBoylike. Diving into the depths of Terra's past reveals things no one, even Beast Boy, ever knew about.
1. Chapter 1: Unwanted

**It's Rogue, back from her long hiatus of not updating or uploading anything. For those of you who were reading _Sacrifice_ an edited version of that will be put up after this one, but I had started that fic before the finale of the series and...it was really hard for me to write about the entire Terra thing after I already had a plot in mind. So, I dropped the project in an effort to figure out just what happened with Terra. That's kind of what this fic is about. Post 'Things Change' and mainly Beast Boy/Terra centered, though I have some pretty good action sequences planned...Basically this just sheds some light on Terra's past and Beast Boy gets it in a kind of interesting way...Plus that shape-shifting monster is still on the loose and turns out some people just don't know when to quit...**

**Oh, before I forget.**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. DC comics does, and Cartoon Network had the rights to it. If I did own Titans rest assured it wouldn't have ended the way it did. _

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"Get out of here you little grass stain!" Cyborg's voice pounded within the changeling's ears as he flung himself the length of the floor on his stomach avoiding the flailing metal fists as the titanium Titan approached him, anger evident in his voice.

"Look, Cyborg- I didn't mean-"

He was cut off mid-sentence by Cyborg completing it for him. "'I didn't _mean_ to ruin the new automated no touch command panel on the T-Car, honest!'" As he spoke in a high pitched very Beast Boy-like voice the bionic teen closed the short distance between himself and Beast Boy, who was cornered at the far end of the garage. "Man, nobody touches my baby, but you just had to help, didn't you? Sometimes I wonder if you have a brain in that thick skull of yours!"

With each step Cyborg took, Beast Boy flinched visibly, unable to think or to move. Instinctively he should have morphed into something small to avoid whatever physical blow the half human was going to throw at him, but he couldn't. Ever since last week his thoughts had been all messed up, and it was showing in battle and training; he just couldn't seem to think straight and always ended up causing more trouble. "Cy, c'mon. I-you-it..." The shape-shifter trailed off as Cyborg pulled him up by the neck of his uniform, "You can fix it, right?"

"I can fix anything! But this is gonna take time that we don't have. Do you not realize there's more villains crowding Jump City then ever before? We need to be ready for action at anytime and with a busted T-Car, nobody's gonna be happy." Cyborg's voice was filled with pent up rage an emotion, human eye bulging as his face twisted into a smirk. "But little man, I do know one thing that will make me one happy cyborg."

"What?" Beast Boy squeaked, closed eyes opening to emerald slits and mouth into a forced smile. "Fixing that car, eh? I better leave you to it."

"No, green bean. Now that I have you, I'm gonna get you back for all those pranks you pulled, all the stuff you busted, and all that tofu crap you cooked. Hold still, BB, this is only gonna hurt a lot." Cyborg drew back his fist and with a sickening thud, it collided with something solid and then a yelp of pain mixed with anger.

But it wasn't Beast Boy's. The changeling had pulled himself together just in time to slip through Cyborg's fingers as a gardener snake, and instead the metal fist slammed into the concrete wall of the room. "BEAST BOY!"

The green teen, now human in the elevator, cringed once more at the sound of rage in Cyborg's voice but then heaved a sigh of relief. "It's not like I meant to spill root beer on the control panel anyway," Beast Boy grumbled as he leaned his weight against the doors of the elevator, massaging his neck with one hand. "Didn't mean he had to plow his metal fist into my face."

Without warning, the metal doors slid open and the shape-shifter tumbled out, landing in a heap on the carpeted floor. Slowly dragging himself to his feet, Beast Boy cast a glance around the room. Raven was meditating. Starfire was cooking. Robin was nowhere to be found. It seemed normal. "Hey, if any of you guys see Cyborg tell him you didn't see me, 'kay?"

Raven cracked an eye open to glare blankly at Beast Boy before speaking in her usual monotone. "What did you do this time?"

"What makes you think I did anything? Maybe metal butt's just in a bad mood, okay?"

"Friend Beast Boy, we heard the screaming of anger from Cyborg from our places upstairs," Starfire supplied with a wide smile. "Would you like to taste my dish of Tamaranian happiness? It will make you feel better."

"Thanks, Star, but if it ain't tofu it ain't breakfast." Come to think of it, Beast Boy hadn't eaten breakfast yet. "Hey, why don't you go and watch that documentary on mushrooms and I'll fix up some grub." The changeling strolled proudly into the kitchen and dawned a chef hat upon his untidy green hair. "Go on, shoo. Prepare to be amazed!" He then began literally pushing the reluctant alien girl from the kitchen her alien strength making this harder then he thought.

She stopped resisting after crossing over into the lounge, but Beast Boy didn't stop pushing. So Starfire was shoved into the couch and flipped over it, landing sprawled out on the other side. "Friend, you are most excited, yes?" Starfire mumbled, pushing herself to a seated position and flipping on the television. "You are normally not this strong. Is something strengthening you?" Starfire tilted her head to one side as the mushroom documentary came on, completely taking her attention away from the shape-shifter.

"Uh, no." Beast Boy flexed a muscle and gave a small grin. "I've been working out." His voice deepened during that particular line, causing both Raven and Starfire to look up from their activities to stare blankly at the changeling, who was roasting something on a skillet.

"You call spending fourteen hours a day on your butt playing videogames working out?" Raven deadpanned with a raised brow. She had levitated herself to the opposite end of the couch then Starfire and pulled out a book. Looking over the cover she added, "I'm surprised you haven't gained weight."

Absentmindedly, the green teenager looked down at his stomach, noticing a slight bulge there. "Dude, I am SO not fat." He watched as his tofu meal sizzled in the pan, licking his lips slightly before realizing he had been eating a lot more lately. It was sort of like a reflex. Whenever he was upset, he ate. And something had been bothering him lately, though he wouldn't convey that particular information to anyone.

"I do not think Raven was implying that you were overweight, Beast Boy," Starfire murmured. "She was merely stating that the tofu has been disappearing more quickly then usual lately." She barely let her eyes flicker from the screen as she spoke, the shape-shifter giving a dull groan as he ran a gloved hand down his face in irritation.

"Bone petite," Beast Boy whispered to himself spooning the food onto two plates and left them on the counter before removing the hat and slowly dragging himself to the hallway, casting a glance over his shoulder as he did. "Breakfast is served," he murmured a bit louder, but still the girls seemed to take no notice of him. Shaking his head slowly, the changeling exited the main room and lingered in the doorway, eyes narrowed slightly. "Hell-o! Beast Boy in the room!"

"Oh, friend, are you in need of assistance?" Starfire quickly drew her eyes from the mushrooms dancing on the television screen to her friend's face before pulling it back to the mushrooms in fascination.

"No! I just kinda like to be noticed when I'm leaving a room!"

"BEAST BOY!" Cyborg's voice echoed itself, louder this time, and caused the shape-shifter to give a high pitched yelp, frozen in his purple Velcro boots.

"You've been noticed," Raven mumbled, not bringing her gaze away from the pages of her book, ignoring the fact that the titanium Titan was stomping towards the main room from the garage.

"Exit, stage right," Beast Boy joked halfheartedly before darting down the winding hallways of Titans Tower, Cyborg and Stafire's voices echoing dully behind him. He stopped, leaning heavily against the wall and panting slightly, catching a bit of their conversation.

"Where's the little grass stain?"

"For a reason unknown to me, friend Beast Boy did not want you to know of his whereabouts."

"Starfire, which way did he go?"

"I do not wish to have Beast Boy angry with me."

"He won't be mad, I promise. He'll be too beat up to care!"

"I do not think violence within the friendship is the answer to this problem."

"He broke my car!"

"So you will break him?"

"Yeah."

"A bit of advice, Cyborg. He went that way." Raven's voice was added to the mix.

The metal footsteps sped up behind him, and Beast Boy kicked up the speed as a cheetah, Cyborg's footfalls vanishing with the distance between them. Resuming human form, the changeling ran a hand through his hair, now leaning against a door. "Go Beast Boy, you're not dead. It's your birthday," he sang dully to himself, eyes falling closed.

He slid down the wall to a crouched position, hands resting upon his knees and eyes still closed. His ears were perked for any sign of movement and flicked slightly picking something up. Beast Boy's eyes flew open as a shadow loomed around the corner. Holding in the scream longing to escape his throat, the shape-shifter stood, leaning his weight hard against the door behind him. 'Please turn around,' he thought, jamming his eyes closed and biting his lower lip.

"Come little man. You can't hide from me forever." Cyborg's voice was dangerously close. Any minute now he would round the corner and Beast Boy would be dead, maybe worse then dead. Behind him, the changeling's hands were wringing themselves and by some miracle, he hit the button that opened the door. Beast Boy fell backwards and the door slammed shut again just as the bionic teen rounded the corner. "Enough of this crap. BB, I'm just gonna start blasting away if you don't show your face before dinner…"

Flat on his back in the gym, Beast Boy heard Cyborg's muffled voice threatening him, but completely ignored it. Something flew at him from behind, and when it hit his shoulder it cut through his jumpsuit and stuck there. "Robin," he grumbled pulling the bird-a-rang from his shoulder ignoring the small trickle of blood it had drawn.

"Beast Boy, nice of you to join me." The Boy Wonder smirked slightly, standing with his arms crossed over his chest and overlooking the shape-shifter. "So, you've come to challenge the master, eh?"

"Actually I was avoiding an angry Cyborg, but…" He stood, shaking his head slowly before his eyes narrowed. "I'll take you anytime anyplace."

"Here and now," Robin shot back getting into a fighting stance with one foot on front of the other, eyes narrowed and a smirk set upon his face. One hand was at his utility belt, the other in front of him. With the signature 'bring it on' move of pulling his fingers back toward him, the spar began and a green ram charged him, though the Boy Wonder merely did a backhand spring to avoid him. "That the best you got?"

Beast Boy had slammed head on into the wall, his horns caught in the concrete. After struggling for a good few minutes, he morphed into a tiger, and shaking his head slowly turned to face his opponent. A low growl escaped his throat as he lunged for the Boy Wonder who had pulled a set of disks from his belt and flung them, all three at once.

The freeze disk exploded making Beast Boy change course once, when the electric disk detonated right in front of him it singed his whiskers, and the flash disk made his pupils grow so wide that he tripped over his paws and landed in a heap on the floor.

"You know," Robin commented through the flashing white patches distorting the changeling's vision. Slowly, he pulled himself to his feet, swaying from side to side slightly and digging his claws into the ground to remain upright, ears flat against his skull as the Boy Wonder spoke. "Ever since you saw that girl, you've been acting really off. What happened back at the school?"

A fierce growl cut through the stony silence that followed, a green bull rampaging forward, catching Robin's cape and ripping it cleanly from his back. The Boy Wonder raised an eyebrow as the green animal turned eyes wide and from what Robin could see full of fury. "Beast Boy, chill. Everyone's worried about the way you're acting. It's like whatever happened has made you forget everything you've learned."

Resuming human form for roughly 3.7 seconds, the shape-shifter managed to snarl a few words. "Stay out of it," Beast Boy hissed before being replaced by a green cobra. Uncoiling and jaws open wide, the snake danced forward and backward, rearing up and fangs glittering.

"Something's obviously bothering you," the Boy Wonder retaliated pulling a few more gadgets from within the depths of his utility belt. Two bird-a-rangs and a disk with the Robin insignia etched onto it were held between three fingers of his left hand. "Why won't you just talk about it?"

The only answer he got from Beast Boy was the snake striking, darting forward jaws wide and snapping only at Robin's steel toed boots. He wasn't aiming to kill his leader, just bring him down. He succeeded in throwing the Boy Wonder off balance, but not without the throwing of the defensive items.

As Robin caught himself on his left arm, Beast Boy was busy dodging a pair of razor sharp projectiles aimed directly between his eyes. The cobra vanished to return as a rabbit, who hopped out of the way of the bird-a-rangs, but when he touched down upon the floor once more the disk landed at his feet. For a split second, nothing happened, and the shape-shifter thought maybe it was a dud. But just as the rabbit made to leap over the disk it exploded right in his face sending him backwards a few feet.

"You didn't even try to move," Robin observed as a large gorilla approached him from the spreading dust the explosion had made. "You forgot I carry exploding disks, did you?" The Boy Wonder whipped out his bo-staff, elongating it to its full size and twirling it over his head as the changeling approached, a snarl exploded from Beast Boy's open jaws.

He clamped his fists together and brought them down upon Robin, who somersaulted between the large primate's legs and knocked his staff into Beast Boy's back, toppling him once more. But the shape-shifter snapped back, this time as a wolf and pounced for the Boy Wonder, jaws snapping and paws darting forward left and right. Robin caught the wolf's jaws around his staff, forepaws on either side of his large head. His back paws, however, were flailing every which way and caught him in the stomach, sending him onto the floor this time.

The bo-staff rolled away on the floor with a clattering noise, Robin left momentarily defenseless on his back. A green saber toothed tiger jumped onto him, pinning him with two massive paws upon his chest. Beast Boy's eyes were uncharacteristically wide, showing his anger as he raised one paw to swipe at Robin's unguarded face.

The Boy Wonder brought up his left arm to take the hit, a wince of pain coming upon him as Beast Boy pressed his weight against his body. He was cornered, not a good sign. Fumbling with his utility belt, Robin felt the shape-shifter's back paws come upon his legs, the combination of the animal's weight and pressure slowly crushing his body into the floor. "Have a nice trip," Robin muttered to Beast Boy, who growled, unable to sense what was happening next.

The Boy Wonder pulled his right arm upward in one swift motion, hitting the changeling right between the eyes and sending him disoriented, backwards. Robin then launched his drawn grappling hook and it clasped onto the ceiling. The masked boy was pulled upward just as a green grizzly bear plowed forward, missing his target completely and fell just as the Titans leader murmured, "See you next fall."

Beast Boy, now human, glared up at Robin ignoring the pain searing through every inch of his body from the falls and hits he had taken during this spar. "What goes up must come down," he hissed taking a running start and leaping into the air as a falcon, talons connecting with the wire of Robin's grappling hook and ripping it in half. With wide eyes the Boy Wonder fell, striking the ground hard but landing in a crouched position.

"Nice move," he commented, completely forgetting the conversation he had been trying to have with Beast Boy. Hands balled into fists, Robin watched as the falcon landed, Beast Boy taking on human form again. "What had enough?"

"Yeah. Enough." The shape-shifter's voice was soft as he edged forward, but upon reaching a foot away from Robin morphed into a green kangaroo and he leaned his weight back against his tail and kicked outward, sending the Boy Wonder crashing into the wall.

"Beast Boy!" Robin pulled himself from the wall, scowl visible on his face. "That was a dirty trick. Reminds me of something Slade might pull."

At the comparison of himself to the masked villain, Beast Boy recoiled slightly. "Sorry," he answered, holding out a hand. Robin took it and they shook firmly, but as the changeling tried to pull away he was pulled forward and flipped onto his back. Glaring up at the Boy Wonder, Beast Boy rubbed the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"Now we're even," Robin answered shortly, pulling on his cape and exiting the room. That left Beast Boy alone in the semi-demolished gym. Whenever he and Robin sparred, it always got busted up a little, but today it was worse then usual. Rubbing his left arm slightly, the shape-shifter stood and dragged himself out of the room, lost in thought.

"I busted Cyborg's car. Raven and Star ignored me. Robin's mad because I won't talk to him. I lost my sparring skills. And I resort to dirty tricks. Dude, I need some serious therapy or something." The green teenager let out a heavy sigh, hands clasped behind his back. Why had he been asking so strange lately? It all went back to a week ago, when he had found her, Terra. It was her; he was certain of it. But she hadn't wanted anything to do with him, or the Titans.

"She doesn't want to see me anymore," he repeated Slade's words to himself as he walked onward, deeper into the Tower's depths. "I'm the Titan. It's not who she wants to be. But it's _who she is._" Beast Boy jammed his eyes shut, willing the tears threatening to fall back inside him. His emotions were controlling his life now. He couldn't focus on anything fully because in the back of his mind he was always thinking about her. "Terra I wish I could talk to you now more then ever."

Running a hand through his hair he made a decision to turn back and lock himself up in his room like he had done many times throughout the week. Really, he couldn't blame Robin for wondering about him or Cyborg for being mad about the root beer and the T-Car. Beast Boy shook his head slowly knowing if he wanted to go back to his own room he would have to go through the main room and he didn't want to pass the others on the way. That would only lead to more questions that he didn't want to answer. Some he didn't even have answers for.

Behind him, a familiar voice echoed. "Friend Beast Boy, you want to partake in the watching of videos and the eating of unhealthy food, yes?" Starfire's shadow was getting closer. Why hadn't he sensed her coming by her footsteps? Oh, right. She was probably levitating.

Beast Boy's eyes darted around for a place to hide; it was the last thing he needed to have to sit through two hours of torture with four people that lately seemed to hate him. This was part of the Tower he hadn't been to since that week if he could avoid it, but now was not one of those times.

A metal door caught his eye and Beast Boy didn't hesitate to open it, even though the last time he was here hadn't exactly been good. For a split second his eyes did linger on the single word etched onto the door: 'TERRA'. Shaking his head slowly, the changeling flung himself into the room, a strange feeling running up his spine as he crossed the threshold, kind of like icy water running down his back.

"Oh, why must you close yourself up in a place of solitude?" Starfire's voice died away slowly, leaving Beast Boy alone in her room, Terra's room.

"I shouldn't be here. This is her room…" The thing of it was he just couldn't bring himself to leave her room. It was all Beast Boy had of Terra besides those few pictures, and since that day at the school many of those had been ripped in anger.

The walls were dotted with orange mountains, the ceiling with stars. Idly, Beast Boy resisted the urge to fling himself on the carpet and start sobbing. Instead he perched himself on the edge of the bed and leaned back, eyes closed. "Why did you leave me? Why did you leave _us_?" He curled up as a green dog just as he had done after Terra's- and his- betrayal and rested his head upon his paws.

Many times had he thought about that day, how he'd promised they would be friends no matter what and how he had reached out and just snapped that promise in half. If he hadn't broken that promise, maybe Terra wouldn't have sold herself to Slade. That thought alone was enough to tear him apart.

But for once, Beast Boy seemed to be able to push that thought to the back of his mind and just bask in Terra's presence. She wasn't there physically, but this was who she was, Terra, a Teen Titan a true friend. Little did the green shape-shifter know the answers to many of his questions were in this very room. Actually, he was lying on top of it right now without knowing. Resting just under his forepaws was a small leather bound book. As he snored, Beast Boy felt something there, but ignored it. He was having such a good dream. There was no need to ruin it because of some stupid book of Terra's. But that stupid book was the key the key to truly knowing who Terra the Titan was and is today.


	2. Chapter 2: Pressed Between the Pages

**That first chapter was basically just laying down the foundation for the actual plot of the story. This is where it gets down to Terra's past and stuff. Uh, not much to say...Reviews?**

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**Something slowly jolted Beast Boy from his dream; it had been such a good one, too. Groaning slightly, the changeling now in human form, propped himself into a seated position, emerald eyes watery and purple bags under them, sleep still evident in his face as he brought a gloved hand up to rub his eyes. "What gives? That purple pear and green orange were just about to take me to the land of colorful fruits and veggies…" 

What welcomed him next almost sent him into a complete frenzy. "Beast Boy…" That voice, it was so familiar. He had heard it not a week ago and in his head every single day.

"Terra? Wha-"

"I don't have much time. Just listen to me, okay?"

Noticing the urgency in his friend's voice Beast Boy nodded, eyes wandering around the room. There was no visible sign of the geomancer, but that was most definitely Terra's voice, and it was talking to him. Biting his lower lip slightly the shape-shifter opened his mouth to speak but ended up sucking in a large amount of air as Terra's voice flittered into his ears again.

"You're the one that knows me the best, but you don't know my story."

"You never told me!" Beast Boy protested gaining what sounded like an irritated sigh from Terra's voice before he gave a lopsided grin. "Sorry. Go on."

"But you want to, right?" The green teenager nodded eagerly and the voice continued. "Then read that book. You're sitting on it." Beast Boy pulled the leather bound book out from under him, running a gloved hand over the cover.

"Um, Terra this is-"

"I know what it is. I wrote it. If you want to know me, read it." Terra's voice was slowly fading away, but he didn't want it to. Beast Boy stood, the book dropping onto the bedspread behind him. "And Beast Boy?"

"…Yeah?" The changeling was gazing about in slight confusion, waiting for her to reply once more.

"I miss you. A lot."

"Terra- I-" Before he could go on, something jolted through his spine. Panting, Beast Boy realized he was still sprawled out on the bed and he was still a dog. Resuming human form the changeling narrowed his eyes, eyebrows raised so high they were mixed in with his green locks.

He pushed himself to a seated position before feeling something brush against his fingertips. The book was there. Beast Boy hesitated with a slight frown forming upon his lips. Was that all just a dream? Frankly, the changeling didn't know, but this was definitely the same book. Emerald eyes took in the appearance of it, a hand running over the cover. A single word was etched into it from what Beast Boy could tell with a knife of some sort: 'Terra'.

Sinking back into a sprawled out position, this time on his stomach, Beast Boy traced the letters of her name with his fingers, fighting back tears. His teeth were digging into his lower lip, and when the familiar taste of metal mixed in his mouth and a small trickle of red became visible he stopped. There was no need to cry now. He was okay. "She wrote this," the shape-shifter muttered in disbelief. "I've been in here so many times and never noticed it."

The book fit neatly into the palm of his hand, almost as if he was supposed to read it. Beast Boy paused, not sure if Terra would have wanted him to read it or not. It was a diary after all. But in that…vision or whatever it had been, her voice had said it was okay. By some force his hand made its way to the cover and opened it slowly, the yellow pages of the book flipping slightly as he stared blankly at the first page. Inside, scribbled in Terra's handwriting was this:

_This book belongs to Terra. Read this and die, unless I like you. Then maybe your life will be spared. _

Beast Boy gave a dull chuckle at this before flipping through the pages quickly, eyes scanning over them while his breathing got steadily faster, heartbeat racing. Terra wasn't even here right now, but it still seemed kind of wrong, reading someone else's diary. Slowly he turned the page to the first entry. It seemed this had been written within a year of her meeting the Titans because of the dates marking each page. Taking a deep breath the changeling let his eyes scan the page. This was it. There was no going back after starting.

_January 1st_

_I've been having these really weird dreams lately. I thought leaving Markovia would help me forget all of it but I'm reliving my past slowly. Last night it was Daddy and me again. This time it was before I got my powers, though. I think it might have been the time I ate that cake that was reserved for the Annual Markovian Dinner of Stars. Anyway, I didn't get a good look at him. I never do anymore. I blocked him out completely so all I saw was little three year old me sobbing on the ground while he tormented me saying I was nothing but an annoyance to him. I remember I was so happy that day. I thought that when Dr. Jace came and gave me powers like Brion he'd love me again. It didn't work out that way, though. He still loved Brion more because he was the royal blood. I was just a side job. Why do I keep reliving this stuff? I came here to get rid of it! _

_Sometimes I wonder why he hated me so much and why Brion was the only one I could talk to back home. Sometimes I wonder why I was even born. Everywhere I go I cause trouble. It's like I was born just to irritate people or something. Someday I'm going to find a place I belong and Daddy won't matter anymore. I won't care what he thinks. I won't care…I don't know why I ever cared. Probably because Brion cared. He was my best friend…I wonder how he's doing sometimes. Maybe someday I'll visit him and find out what happened in Markovia since I left. I don't know. Well, I should probably go. There's a fire to be made and some marshmallows calling my name._

_Terra_

Beast Boy paused, kicking his legs against the bedspread and a look of concentration mixed with anger set upon his face. "Her father didn't love her," the green boy growled under his breath. "He made her feel like crap. Where's Markovia?" As if the book was a person answering his questions, a few black and white pictures tumbled out. One was a map circled where Markovia was and the other was of a castle, a message in red Sharpie scrawled upon it in Terra's handwriting. "She lived in a castle. Her father was…"

He set the book down to stare first at the map then at the picture of the castle. Stuck to the back of the picture was another, this one a shot of a man and two children. This one was in color. Beast Boy gave a dull smile recognizing the young girl in the dress as Terra immediately; the blonde hair and blue eyes matched hers perfectly. Next to her was a boy he thought might be this Brion kid. He looked older then Terra by a few years, and his hair was a dirty blonde. They had the same eyes though. And the man was partially hidden by the shadows, but he was behind the two, only one side of his face visible. The eye Beast Boy could see was the same blue as the children, but his hair was darker.

Shivering slightly the green teenager couldn't shake the feeling that this guy reminded him of Slade. Beast Boy flipped the picture over to see unfamiliar handwriting, probably the man or the boy's, a small inscription of who was in the picture. _Me, Tara (3) and Prince Brion (6)._ "Prince? This dude was her father." He tapped the picture with a finger before flipping it over, staring at the man lingering in the background. He was wearing a crown. "If this was her dad, then Brion was her brother. Does that make Terra a princess?"

Beast Boy stared at the yellowing back of the picture before furrowing his brow. Why did it say 'Prince Brion' and not 'Princess Tara'? And did she change her name? Apparently. Sighing slightly he put the picture to the side and dragged the diary forward once more. Maybe he could get more answers from this.

_January 7th_

_These visions are coming in order of how they happened back home. It's kind of scary. Anyway, last night it was the one of how Dr. Jace gave me my meta-human abilities. I remember how her hands were really cold and how I was almost crying. But Brion was there. He told me everything would be okay. I believed him, but I know now I shouldn't have. Everything is so not okay. After I was given my abilities, Brion took me out to the yard so I could test my powers out. I hit him in the head with a rock. Man, I was lucky he liked me or I'd be dead by now. He just laughed and told me I needed control, and how it would be hard. Brion said he'd help me practice everyday. That was a lie, too. After that day, Daddy took Brion away more and more to train him. I was left alone a lot after that. _

_I really do miss Brion how he used to be. He turned on me too eventually. They all did. But no matter how much I hate to admit it, I still really love him. Daddy doesn't love me, but I still want him to. I don't even know where Mom is. I never did. I don't know. I really need to talk to someone. Maybe I'll stop by Gotham and get some of that cherry pie I like. I better go. I think I hear a grizzly bear coming this way…_

_Terra_

Beast Boy gaped silently at the page in front of him. "She wasn't born with her powers either!" The changeling stared blankly at his hand. They had so much more in common then he had even realized, and even now he didn't know of it all. Another picture was shoved into the spine of the book and the changeling removed it eyes taking in the image. Terra was there, young again, with Brion a few feet in front of her. A piece of rock was hovering just over his head. Chuckling dully he set the picture aside and turned the page once more. "I wonder what happened to put Brion against her. They seemed to get along great."

Again the book seemed to hear his thinking. The next entry seemed to answer his question. Beast Boy flipped the page again, noticing that Terra only seemed to write in this thing about these visions at this point and time. Maybe it was supposed to be a dream diary. The changeling's eyes flew across the page rapidly, eyes narrowing with every word. This was so wrong, and it made him angry that he couldn't stop it from happening.

_January 14th_

_This one happened tonight. I know I usually wait until morning to write, but I couldn't get back to sleep after this one. This one made me cry again. This one made me feel worthless. This one was pretty much my downfall. The carefree of childhood left after this, and I was only three years old. There was this big upheaval in Markovia that year, and it wasn't a freak accident. Well, it kind of was. I was the freak and it was an accident. Well, it killed a lot of Markovian people. Daddy wasn't happy. He knew Brion couldn't have done it because he can control his powers. I couldn't, and still can't. Anyway, after the incident happened, Daddy took me back to the castle. This is the part that I'll always remember. The look in his eyes was insane. He threw me across the room and yelled while I sobbed on the ground. It wasn't the pain; this wasn't the first time he'd hurt me. It was because I'd disappointed him and he was sending me away to America for it! To my mother, who I've never met. I cried for hours after that. Not only had I disappointed my father but I would have to leave Brion because of it!_

_To make it worse, when I went to see Brion, he told me the same thing Daddy had said. 'You're a disgrace to the royal name of Markov. No wonder father's sending you away. Be gone, Tara.' I'm shaking now and I can't get back to sleep. Good thing I'm in Gotham City. I can always get some pie. That always makes me feel better. But this was the last straw. I can't…think about him anymore, Brion. The last I heard from him was a letter sent to my mother's home, which I intercepted. It said my father had died. And I never even got to say goodbye…_

_Terra_

Beast Boy felt his anger rising, and he had moved to a seated position upon the bed. Narrowed eyes glared at the words written upon the pages with hate. How could someone do that to their daughter, their sister? Okay, she was his half-sister. Big deal! Brion had seemed so nice until this entry. The shape-shifter slammed the book shut, eyes jammed closed as he took all of this in. Not only was Terra of royal blood and her name was changed but her powers weren't by birth. And he parents were dead, too, well at least her father was. It was so strange to him that there was this much about her that he didn't know, and she had said he'd known her the best!

Noticing a yellowing piece of paper sticking out from the book, Beast Boy yanked at it hoping it hadn't ripped. It turned out to be a newspaper clipping from a newspaper called 'The Markovian Post'. Staring blankly at it the changeling shook his head slowly. There was a black and white picture of the rubble left from the upheaval and a small caption under it. **Mayhem at the market. By some uncontrollable force of nature an earthquake of massive proportion tore the place apart causing many deaths.**

Beast Boy snorted slightly, rolling his eyes in irritation. "I hate people." He paused, realizing just how stupid that comment had sounded before shaking his head slowly and correcting himself. "Whoever wrote this paper is insane." The shape-shifter then moved his eyes to the article and began to read.

_A day at the market turned into mass destruction when an unexpected earthquake struck. Numbers of people died, but no one knows the cause of it. Somehow the royal family is involved in this, though, because King Markov was said to have banished his daughter, Tara Markov, from-_

Beast Boy didn't bother to read the rest; it was making his blood boil beneath his skin. Terra had had a hell of a life before the Titans and then this when she was barely three years old? Life wasn't fair the green boy decided that a long time ago. But this just proved it in a very real way. "I guess after all she's been through she needed a normal life," the changeling muttered sadly unaware that he was crumpling the newspaper clipping in his fist.

"Heh…" He unwrinkled it and set it atop the pile of pictures. Leaning back against the headboard of the bed, Beast Boy brought the pictures forward and stared for a long while at the sort of 'family portrait'. They looked perfectly happy on the outside. "I guess what they say is true. Don't judge a book by its cover." Beast Boy let the pictures slip from his fingers and hit the bedspread and he picked up the book once more.

"I guess I have time for one more entry." Settling himself down Beast Boy flipped the diary to the correct spot and took a deep breath. Hopefully things would get better from there. I mean how could it get worse? "January twenty-fourth? That sounds vaguely familiar…"

_January 24th_

_Guess what? Those stupid visions have finally stopped! So now this thing gets to be used the way it was supposed to be. So, since I last wrote I left that forest on the outskirts of Gotham and made my way through the city. Someone told me there was a group of super powered teenagers in Jump City, and since Gotham's already got Batman and Robin I figured this place would have better prospects for me. By the way, this place I found, Ben's, has the best apple pie I have ever eaten. Not great for cherry, but great apple. Anyway, afterwards I was running through this quarry from a giant scorpion. I killed it. The point is these guys came to save me. Hah. Like I needed saving. The Teen Titans seem to really like me. I even got to stay at their place for a night. Nice digs._

_They're all really nice, and for the record Robin lives here now, go figure. But Beast Boy- wow just wow. He's hilarious and he seems to really like me. He knew my secret and he told me he wouldn't tell anyone. I went with them to fight Slade…and the guy wanted something from me. I didn't give it to him, though. I did cause I dust tornado, but Beast Boy calmed me down._

_He told me he wouldn't tell. Robin knew. Beast Boy told. I ran. And now I'm living in that cave again. I can't believe it. I thought I finally found someone I could trust and he turns around and does this to me. My flashlight's on the fritz. I better go before I'm left in the dark._

_Terra_

Beast Boy stared blankly at the page for a few more seconds. January twenty-fourth had been the day he had first met Terra. Forcing back the memory of that day the changeling found himself reliving select words from it anyway.

"_Boy Beast! Uh, I mean Bass Boot! No!" _

"_Beast Boy?" There was a high pitched scream and a turtle took his place, spinning rapidly in the air. "Dude, he's hilarious!"_

"_Hilarious?" He poked his human head out of the shell. "Me? Really?" When Terra winked at him he resumed human form, and upon remembering the thunderstruck feeling in his gut, Beast Boy shook that particular memory from his head only to get another._

"_It's okay, Terra. I'm here." She fell sobbing into his arms. Beast Boy kept her close, holding her in his arms._

"_You won't?"_

"_I won't tell anybody. I promise." Beast Boy cradled her head in his arms, not daring to let go. _

Out of nowhere he jolted back to reality. The Titan Alarm was blaring, Terra's words still ringing in his ears. Beast Boy slammed the book shut, knees drawn in to his chest and face buried in them, eyes hidden from view. "I kept that promise," he choked out, biting his lower lip. "Why didn't you believe me?" The shape-shifter's voice cracked, tears falling onto the bed and staining it.

"Titans! Go!"

"I got a lock on its coordinates. Let's move."

"Where is friend Beast Boy?"

"Hiding. I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that there's a partially insane half robot threatening to kill him…"

Hearing his friends' voices only made Beast Boy's sobbing pause momentarily. "Shouldn't I be helping them?" He mumbled tipping backwards and rolling onto his stomach, arms crossed in front of him and his head propped on top of them. "I wouldn't be any help anyway. Robin even said I've been sucking lately." The changeling rolled off the bed and stood staring blankly out the window at the city. "They don't need me." He deliberately ignored the ringing of his communicator and closed his eyes tightly. "But I need her."


	3. Chapter 3: Reading Between the Lines

**Okay, by request here's chapter three. Sorry it took a while to load, though. My internet was acting up. **

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"Beast Boy? Come in Beast Boy…" The voice paused giving the shape-shifter a minute to answer. "That thing's back. That shape-shifting thing. We could really use your help." Pause. Static. "It's happening down by the Murakami School if you want to, you know, check it out." Pause. "Robin, out."

Well that was convenient. Beast Boy had heard every word that his leader had spilled out to him, but at the moment he was simply staring out the window. "I'll check it out," the changeling growled under his breath. "Maybe make a side stop along the way." He disappeared down the hallway and just at the horizon you could see a dot of green that was Beast Boy maneuvering to his destination as a falcon.

B&P

By this point it was passed three o'clock at Murakami School, but that didn't mean everyone had gone home. Detention was being held in room 101 as usual and there were extracurricular activities going on throughout the hallways. But now the girl known as Tara Markov was positioned at a desk making up the very geometry test she should have taken on that fateful day one week ago.

But after she and Beast Boy talked, Tara hadn't gone to take that geometry test. Instead she had retreated into the mass of students and hidden in her cloak of insecurity she had locked herself away in the locker room and written in her journal. That journal was probably the only thing keeping her sane. Honestly, she still signed it with _Terra_ for that was who she really was inside.

Tara Markov was who she once was, normal and powerless. Terra was who she is now, fighting to get out. Why had she hidden it from Beast Boy, why? There were many reasons, really. Now as she sat there trying to calculate the difference in the area of two squares, Tara's eyes wandered to the window. _No_. She thought head pounding and blue eyes forced closed. _They can't be here!_

But they were the Teen Titans minus Beast Boy were outside her window fighting some shape-shifting thing. Tara slumped in her seat, head resting on her fist as her elbow held it up, pencil tapping against the desktop. Figuring she was never going to get this question right anyway, she scribbled down an answer and slid out of her seat, placing her paper on the teacher's desk and exiting room 107 without a word. Once in the hallway she gave a breath of relief. They hadn't noticed her. She was fine and she was getting the hell out of Murakami. In her haste to leave, though, she dropped something and didn't notice. Tara Markov exited the school and set off towards home, headphones in her ears and acting completely oblivious to the fact that on the other side of the school there was a team of teenage superheroes and an oversized shape-shifter doing battle.

B&P

"Titans! Go!" Robin voiced the battle cry again and eighty percent of the crime fighting team launched themselves forward towards the white creature in different tactical manners. The Boy Wonder had edged forward, an array of miscellaneous disks set between his fingers all ripe and ready for testing. Above him, Starfire was distracting the creature with an assortment of alternate starbolt and eyebeam attacks.

Rearing and letting out a roar of annoyance, the shape-shifting creature let its body become the road beneath it, the green attacks bouncing from its body and hitting other buildings or Cyborg. The titanium Titan had been switching his sonic cannon for a new attachment when a starbolt crashed into him, sending him backward and into a nearby fire hydrant. "No way am I getting beat by some ROCK!" Cyborg edged towards Raven, who had conjured enough dark energy around herself to deflect the blows. "Mind if I borrow some protection?"

"I hope you're talking about the shield…"

"Star!" Robin flung a flash disk forward, watching as the creature bent down to examine the projectile that had done nothing. When it extended a finger to touch it however, face drawn close to the disk itself, it went off temporarily blinding the shape-shifting thing. "Give me a lift?"

"Certainly, Robin." Starfire swooped low catching him under the arms and lifting him up with her. He was surprisingly light, and they had done this so many times she doubted Robin even feared falling anymore, if he ever did.

"Boo-yah! Time to take it up a notch. Raven, hit me up with some of that dark energy, girl." Cyborg leapt forward, a triumphant grin upon his face and sonic cannon aimed directly for the disoriented creature's head. When he got no response, the bionic teen slid back to her side. "Now would be the time to hit me up with some of that dark energy," he hissed holding up his sonic cannon. "So I can hit _it_ up with a sonic dark energy blast!"

"Oh, sorry. You were talking to me?" Raven deadpanned before centering herself. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." An orb of black energy floated its way into the blaster of Cyborg's sonic cannon slowly. All the while the half robot's expression was getting more and more eager.

"Can you speed it up? That thing's gonna come to soon!" The empath deliberately stopped the orb's progress just as it met the blaster, a satisfied smirk upon her face. "Come on, Rae!" Cyborg whined human eye becoming round and watery. Sickened to the point of defeat, Raven slid the dark energy ball into the sonic cannon.

"Don't ever make that face again."

"Awe, yeah. You liked that, eh, Raven?" Cyborg took aim again, though it was hard to aim at a moving target. The shape-shifting creature had come back to reality and was swiping at Starfire and Robin who were hovering just out of his reach. "Eat sonic black energy ball, sucker!" He let it loose, grinning as the mix of black and blue hurtled forward.

The creature didn't make an effort to move, though. When the energy orb hit, it transformed. This time its limbs were covered in the same blue circuitry as Cyborg's and the rest of its body was black matching Raven's energy.

Cyborg's face fell, his jaw hanging near the gravel below. "Nice job. Now it's a demented bionic demonic hybrid." Raven lingered behind him hood drawn over her head as she conjured enough energy to make a nearby lamp post hover. "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to make sure it doesn't digest out friends."

Cyborg stared blankly at her before looking upward, where Starfire had dropped the Boy Wonder lightly onto the creature's shoulder, which caused it to begin thrashing. "Robin, you are unharmed?" Starfire was hovering dangerously close to the shape-shifting being's flailing arms, and frankly it was starting to distract Robin.

"I'm fine! Get out of here before-" The Boy Wonder trailed off and winced as the Tamaranian was hit with one of the blue circuited hands and was sent into a nearby building. "Okay. Electric Disk and Exploding disk combo." Robin placed both of them upon the creature's back before jumping off of its shoulder. He fumbled in his utility belt for roughly three seconds before landing on something solid. Blinking, he looked down to find himself upon a floating black lamp post. "Uh, thanks?" He called to Raven who shrugged slightly.

As the disks detonated, the creature hit the ground hard and fell directly into the spray of water from Cyborg's broken fire hydrant. The electricity coursed through his body causing him to roar out in pain, and when the cybernetic teen hit him with blue energy that literally went through his body, the shape-shifting creature got to his feet and sprayed Cyborg with water. Besides throwing the bionic teen back a few feet nothing happened.

Raven's lamp post suddenly went out of control when the shape-shifting creature reached out for it and became metal. Flinging the lamp post into Raven and Cyborg the creature was left only one Titan to deal with. Robin hit the ground hard, but landed in a crouched position one remaining disk in hand. "Eat this!" The Boy Wonder bellowed, flinging the disk forward and pulling out his grappling hook.

The freezing disk did nothing to the creature besides change its form to ice. "All right, pal, you've just one a one way ticket to the ground." Robin let the grappling hook coil around the creature's legs and smirked as it tripped up, but before it hit the ground and crashed into a million pieces it touched a nearby brick building. When it hit the ground its fist reached outward catching the Boy Wonder in its grasp. "Titans! This isn't working! We need more. We need…"

"Beast Boy," Cyborg filled it in dragging himself to his feet. Raven and Starfire were hovering above him. Shaking his head slowly, the bionic teen gazed around for anything that might be useful for the battle. The now brick creature was slowly squeezing Robin, though. Time was a priority here.

"Robin!" Starfire screeched, a few pent up starbolts escaping her and hitting the creature, only angering it more. The opposite fist sprang forward, wrapping around the alien girl and as he stood both Titans were slowly being crushed. "Stop squeezing now, please," she choked out, vision blurring.

Raven's eyes narrowed as she and Cyborg locked eyes. There had to be something they could do. "We have to make that thing change into something that we can destroy easily." The empath murmured gazing about as well. "And we need to do it fast."

"Glass breaks easily. Ice, but that didn't work out. How 'bout we make it paper!" Cyborg coughed slightly, bringing himself back to seriousness. "Or…"

Just then a blur of green zipped passed, causing the creature to jump in surprise and drop the two Titans. Starfire regained her composure and floated herself to safety while Robin hooked his grappling hook around a nearby mailbox to ease him to the ground. Beast Boy regaining human form landed alongside the other two grinning slightly. "You rang?"

"Nope, that was Robin." Cyborg coughed slightly as the creature took on the form of concrete and vanished into the road. Beast Boy tilted his head to the side slightly before kicking at the ground.

"Sorry I wasn't here soon enough to kick its butt."

"Actually, it kind of kicked ours," Raven muttered dryly.

"Where were you anyway? We couldn't find you anywhere." Robin surveyed the changeling who seemed to be averting his gaze from the other four.

"Around," he answered finally running a hand through his hair.

"Friends, let us enjoy the pie of the pizza together," Starfire piped up. She was already floating in the general direction of the pizza place with Cyborg on foot behind her.

"Yeah, and we're so getting meat on it since BB showed up late." The titanium Titan scoffed casting a glance over his shoulder before heading off again. Raven was following them at a slower pace, not exactly overjoyed to be heading back to the old pizza place, but at least that hadn't changed.

"You coming?" Robin questioned the shape-shifter, who seemed if anything distracted.

It took a minute or two for Beast Boy to register the fact that the Boy Wonder was speaking to him. "Oh, uh no. I got stuff to do." The green boy gave a slight sigh before heading off towards the gates of Murakami School. It was long passed three o'clock and Terra wouldn't be there now, but the place seemed to calm him at least a bit. Since that day last week, he'd been coming almost every day to try and catch a glimpse of her, and most of the time he succeeded. She seemed happy, but Beast Boy couldn't help but wonder why.

"You sure?" The Boy Wonder called back, watching as Beast Boy slid down the gate and sat on the sidewalk withdrawing something from an inside pocket of his jumpsuit. Was that a book? Robin's eyes widened as his jaw dropped slightly.

"Yeah. I, uh, need some Beast Boy time," he shot back watching his leader's retreating back. With a heavy sigh the changeling found the spot he had left off at and picked up, interested to see the events from Terra's point of view. "This is too early to be the time the Tower almost collapsed. This has gotta be why she went with Slade!" His voice was excited and fast as he whispered to himself, eyes flying across the page.

_January 25th _

_If I ever want to go back with the Titans again I need control. This guy, Slade, says he can give it to me. Normally I wouldn't go for that kind of guy, shadowy, but he reminds me of someone, my Dad I think. He told me he can show me how to control my powers and more. He said I could be great if only he taught me. He said he could fill in what was missing in my life. I'm finally going to have a father, one that doesn't hurt you, one that teaches you and loves you. As much as I hate to admit it to myself, that's what I've been missing: a father. Now that I think about it, if it wasn't for my father I would have been able to control my powers. I was so worried about impressing him they went wild and never came back. With Slade's help I can get control and so much more. I can get the father I've always wanted._

_Terra_

Beast Boy had to reread this entry twice before the words finally sank into his brain. Terra thought Slade could be her father? What did that madman say to her? Then again, Terra had probably been very vulnerable at that point, thinking her friend had betrayed her secret. Shaking his head slowly, Beast Boy bit his lower lip. "Terra didn't go to him just for control. She went to him for a father figure. That was something the Titans couldn't give her. I mean sometimes Robin acts like a demented dad but…he's fifteen…" He closed his eyes slightly before flipping the page, almost afraid of what he would read next.

_January 31st_

_Today Slade told me I'm to be his heir. He said I'm the best child he's ever had, and he said he had three before me, too. Today we had combat training and he said I was gaining real skill. One day he thinks I could even beat Robin. That's funny. I don't think I'll be able to do that much. Slade brushed my hair today and told me that he was working on getting us matching outfits so we can be alike in every way. Dad wouldn't be caught dead matching with me. As he brushed my hair, though, Slade told me something else. He said that his heir was to be his Apprentice. When I asked what that meant he said I didn't need to worry about it as long as I trusted him. In some weird fatherly way I guess I trust him because I told him I did. Oh well. It's not like he's out to hurt me, too, right?_

_Terra_

The green shape-shifter winced at her written words. Even then, Terra hadn't known she was doing anything really wrong, at least not yet. Beast Boy paused, staring at the spine of the book for a long while before withdrawing the butterfly hair clip. His fist clenched around it as he bit his lower lip. "Matching outfits?" He muttered molding his hand to the hairclip. "To be alike in every way including controlling her powers!" The changeling shook his head slowly, unable to process this information in his mind.

"She thought of him like a father and he beat her. I saw it happen!" He was breathing heavily now, ragged and uneven. "A father doesn't do those things! A father loves you and takes care of you no matter what. They don't do that kind of stuff! He was putting on an act! Terra didn't even realize she was selling her soul to the devil…"

A picture fell out of the book, one of Terra in her street clothes and Slade standing behind her in the background. Her hair was falling over the right side of her face and somehow Beast Boy couldn't shake the feeling that they did look scarily alike in the picture. Flipping the photo over the changeling winced, reading the words scrawled in Terra's handwriting aloud. "This guy is like the father I never had. He actually cares about me unlike fathers that shall remain nameless."

Setting the picture aside, Beast Boy stared hard at the pavement ignoring the few people walking passed him and pointing, whispering about 'that green Titan' who was out in the middle of nowhere reading a book. Biting his lower lip the shape-shifter pulled the book towards him, recognizing the next date immediately. "The day she came back…"

_February 1st_

_Last night Slade told me what my job is. Since I'm already in with the Titans he told me…he told me that I'm supposed to go back, find out all I can about them, and then give their weaknesses to him. He wants to destroy the Teen Titans. They're my friends and I don't want to- but Slade told me that they really don't care about me. I don't believe him and he could tell. He told me to go back, stay for a couple of weeks, get the information and just hang out. After two weeks I'm to send him the information, but if I feel like they really do care about me, then I won't do it. He's not worth it. _

_When I came back, they all welcomed me with open arms. Kind of. Raven and I disagree on a lot of things, including how to take on these giant worms and power drill trying to sink the Tower. We worked it out in the end, though, and I think she might actually like me to a point anyway. They even got me my own room, and they really trust me. I don't know what I'm going to do, but if I don't help Slade I might lose control of my powers forever. At this point I'm fifty/fifty, but for now I'm with the Titans even though Slade kind of chewed me out after they left. He was mad that I didn't just save the entire Tower by myself. And he said I was acting very buddy buddy with the Titans. I can't help it if his planned battle turned out so weird…_

_Terra_

Upon reading that last line Beast Boy let out a gasp. "That battle was SO not planned! I can't believe it! Slade wanted her to fix it!" The shape-shifter paused grinding his teeth together before seeing a picture fall out of the diary. Hesitantly he reached down and picked it up reading the back first this time.

"The six of us?" Beast Boy was only slightly confused for he knew what was coming next, but he wondered who had taken the picture. Shrugging he turned it over to reveal a shot of the five Titans and Terra in front of the Tower. She had her arm around his neck and his eyes were glimmering as he flashed a peace sign. Robin stood in the middle, Starfire literally having him in one of her bone-crushing hugs, and on either end were Cyborg and Raven looking…happy? That was strange…

Laughing slightly at the pose of the Boy Wonder and the Tamarainian, he covered the Slade and Terra picture with the shot of the Titans and flipped the page. Funny, this wasn't the last page but after this entry they were all blank. Narrowing his eyes slightly Beast Boy gave a dull groan as he looked at the date. "Our betrayal." The changeling had taken to calling it that because, really, he felt responsible for it. But the entry itself was before that had happened just after he had given her that present.

_February 14th_

_Okay, so Beast Boy showed up at my door with this present. It's so cute, too. He made it himself. I love it so much. Anyway, he asked me out. You don't know how much I wanted to say yes, but I can't. Tonight's two weeks. I just sent the information to him. I don't want to hurt Beast Boy anymore then Slade is going to. I don't want to break his heart. Plus I'll be gone by tomorrow… But I really want to go with him. Maybe if I take him out of the city we can get away before Slade attacks and I can try to explain. I don't know. I know this isn't how it's done but I'm going to ask him out. I know I'm insane._

_Terra_

Upon reading this Beast Boy couldn't help but give a smile. She had betrayed him right then and there, the Titans, everything they stood for, but she didn't want to break his heart. That was all she had to say to make him grin stupidly and get a laugh out of him, because it was just such a hard thing to do, not breaking someone's heart I mean. "Too bad you already broke it four times."


	4. Chapter 4: Putting the Pieces Together

**Okay. This chapter gets into some details on the Slade/Terra relationship and maybe a little hint about the BB/Terra relationship. cough Anyway, I'd appriciate it if you guys that are reading this would review. The little purple button is your friend, you know. And tanks for my loyal reviewer too. You know who you are...

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The changeling flipped through the pages of the diary once more, angry that the story wasn't finished. "Dude, part two maybe?" Beast Boy pulled himself to his feet still grasping the leather bound book in his hand. He didn't know why, but something was definitely drawing him towards the school, the book maybe, but more a sound coming from the school. It sounded like someone was screaming, or crying or something. Cautiously, the green teen slinked forward as a cat and perched himself on the sill of an open window, not without stowing the diary in his jumpsuit again. 

On the outside, Murakami School might have seemed like the model high school to send your child. On the inside, it looked that way as well. But what Beast Boy was seeing now cloaked by the shadows of night falling while perched on the windowsill, made him think twice. The room he was looking into was your average classroom, but the set of three adolescents and the slightly graying man were just not normal. The guy was obviously Brother Blood and he recognized two out of three of the kids instantly. One was the midget boy genius Gizmo and the other was the genetically altered giant Mammoth. But if Jinx was on the Titans side now, who was the third graduate?

Oh, just another of the rotating H.I.V.E. F.I.V.E. members, Kid Wykkyd. The question was, though, how did Blood get his body back? Out of pure instinct, the cat slipped under the glass of the open window and quietly crept underneath one of the desks in hopes of hearing part of their plan. Unfortunately, Blood and company had decided to blow this Popsicle stand by way of Kid Wykkyd's teleportation abilities. The changeling did manage to catch the last few sentences however.

"Why are you working for that guy anyway, Blood?"

"I owe him a favor. Besides, if we want to catch a cat we need a mouse."

"And you think that girl can be our mouse to catch those snot-nosed Titan cats?"

"I know so, Gizmo especially that shape-shifting one. He cares for her so much and yet she runs away from him. That slip up cost us…"

"I am sorry, Blood, I did not mean for her to see…"

"Mammoth, what's done is done. As long as we finish off the Titans, I will no longer owe anything to Slade, and as an added bonus the Teen Titans will be out of our hair. Forever." That was when the mute H.I.V.E. graduate seemed to sense another presence and blanket the four of them in his teleporting ability and get them as far away as possible.

That left one baffled Beast Boy behind them, standing in the middle of room 107 with his head cocked to one side. "'Kay. Blood's back and they want Terra because they know I'll come and get her which means the other Titans will come and get me which means we'll all be captured which means it'll be all my fault when we're dead." The green shape-shifter had been making an arrow motion with his hand and with each 'which means' he spoke it twisted and turned. By the time his run-on sentence ended his arm was twisted the length of the room and into the hallway.

"Dude, I'm like rubber band boy!" Beast Boy sighed before rolling the length of his arm in the classroom up around his shoulder and filing out, following the trail his arm left and picking it up along the way. When the changeling finally found his gloved hand it was lying on top of something that looked all too familiar. Reeling in his arm like a fishing pole, the shape shifter examined the leather bound book. "Okay, weird much. I thought I put this in my-"

He stopped dead in his tracks as he opened a compartment of his jumpsuit revealing an almost identical book. The major difference between the two was the one he had read was clean and the one he had just found was caked with a fresh coat of dirt and was ripped up in places. He replaced the one he had read in his pocket and examined the new one with raised eyebrows. "Dude, it's the sequel!" Beast Boy hissed, tracing the word 'Terra' upon the cover of the dusty book. If she had left it here it was really battered for just school. Then again, herds of rampaging teenagers were almost as dangerous as a stampede of elephants around lunchtime.

"Maybe I should check it out, make sure it's safe." Okay, so the green changeling wanted to see what she had to say after the betrayal, but it could have been a booby trap planted by Blood. As he cracked open the diary, a series of photos rained down upon the tiled floor. Beast Boy bent down to pick them up, but stopped with his arm halfway extended and in a stooped position. One of ten pictures was facing up, but he only needed to see one to know what the rest were.

This particular photo was one of a bruised and blushing Beast Boy, a bump upon his head and a steady stream of drool hanging out of his mouth. The source of the blushing was revealed to be Terra with an arm around him, one eye open and her free hand in a peace sign. The shape-shifter sank to the ground and picked up the picture, running a gloved hand over the smooth surface of the pair of them. "She kept these?" Beast Boy murmured slowly turning them all over. One of Terra hugging a puppy Beast Boy, one of the pair of them making hideous faces, the one where she had punched him in the face, and many more, each one bringing back another quick flash of remembrance in his mind. "I wondered where these went…"

He gathered the set of photo booth pictures and set them neatly into the spine of the book before settling himself against the wall, eyes closed. "Here it comes, the truth. I finally get to see what she felt after I said…After I broke that promise." Beast Boy cracked one eye open and then the other as he began to read, a look of dawning realization on his face.

_February 15th_

_Well, I did it. I asked Beast Boy out and I broke up with him all in one night. It had been so perfect at the carnival. I even almost got my first kiss from the only boy I've ever really cared about. But then Slade showed up. He ruined that moment and he even told Beast Boy about…our deal. He promised he'd always be my friend no matter what, but how could I blame him? I sold myself and all of the Titans to Slade for control and love…Except I could have had love without Slade. How could I be so stupid? Now I lost that feeling and Beast Boy forever. I can't finish this. Slade's looking over my shoul-_

It ended there. Beast Boy wasn't sure he wanted to know what had made Terra stop writing, but whatever Slade had done had knocked some sense into her apparently for the next entry which was inscribed on the same page had an entirely different view.

_What I wrote earlier wasn't me. This is me. Slade and I had a talk. Beast Boy betrayed me as much as I betrayed him. I thought we were even. Slade told me otherwise. He said Beast Boy still had something of mine, my emotions and my feelings. I need to get those back if I ever want to feel complete again. To do that I have one thing to do: destroy Beast Boy and the Teen Titans once and for all. They have my feelings and I need them back to be happy. Once they're gone it will be just me and Slade…And I'll be happy…_

_Terra_

The changeling took a deep breath, a pang of sadness and anger throbbing just above his ribcage. "I think I like it better when she thinks I did something to her then when she put it all on herself…" Beast Boy stood shakily, closing the diary and unconsciously running his hand over the cover. Something was sticking out of the pages, though, and he did notice that. He pulled the scrap of paper from its place and read it aloud. "Today I realized something. I can never have a dad. I can only have a father. Slade hit me today like Dad used to. I'm not even good enough for him anymore. If I can't be good enough for him, I can never be good enough for Beast Boy. I guess I'll just have to…" Beast Boy paused shaking his head slowly, "work my way up."

His eyes closed in pity and anger at Terra's written thoughts, her voice ringing in his ears. "She thought she wasn't good enough for me," he whispered morphing into a green dog and carrying the diary in his mouth. His tail hung between his legs as he paced himself through the school finally finding an open window and leaping out of it. Once in the fresh air he re-morphed into a hawk and carried the book in his talons, now only a spec of green against a black horizon filled with stars.

B&P

"Do you think that thing's working on its own?" Robin's voice echoed through the Tower as he leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest as Cyborg stood behind him, rummaging through the refrigerator.

"I dunno, man." The bionic teen opened a jar and sniffed it before placing it back inside the fridge and closing the door. "It doesn't seem smart enough to be doin' it all by itself, y'know?" Cyborg paused with a deep sigh. "What do you think, Rob?"

"Same thing you did." The Boy Wonder shook his head slowly before letting out a dull groan. "Slade isn't exactly one for sending giant shape-shifting creatures into the city. He's usually a little stealthier then that. Who else?"

Cyborg's human eye narrowed slightly as he began pouring mix into the waffle maker. "…Blood," he finally growled, shaking his head forcefully. "But he was dead. Worse then dead."

"Slade was dead, too, remember?"

"So?"

"I'm just saying villains aren't exactly mortal sometimes." Robin shrugged slightly before gearing the conversation away from dangerous waters. "Hey, make me a few too?"

"Yeah."

In the living room Raven was meditating and Starfire was gazing intently at the television screen which was showing Romeo and Juliet modernized. "Friend Raven, what is this? Correct me if I'm wrong but does the play not go 'It is the west and Juliet is the sun?'"

"Yes, Starfire."

"Then tell me, why does this Ro say 'Yo, Jules, you know you're the bling to my ice?'"

"It's a modern version, Starfire," Raven deadpanned eyes jammed shut as she tried to find her center while explaining to the alien girl. "They try to make the classics easier to understand for people like Beast Boy who can't process old English."

"Speaking of friend Beast Boy-"

"I wasn't speaking of him. I was just using the little dunce as an example…"

Starfire ignored Raven's interruption and continued. "Where is our shape shifting teammate?"

Robin shrugged one shoulder as Cyborg dolled out a stack of waffles in front of him. "He said he needed some alone time. I let him have it." The Boy Wonder's eyes widened considerably at the golden brown delights before him. "Wow, Cy, these look…"

"Best batch I've ever made," Cyborg stated proudly, his plate already clean in front of him. "Anyway, I'm sure BB's fine. Don't go all spastic on me. Besides, if we really need to find him I can track the little man by his communicator frequency." This statement earned him three sets of staring eyes and the bionic teen seemed to take the hint. "Ya'll want me to find him, huh?"

"We might need him if that thing decides to show up again," Robin murmured patting his now full stomach as he slid a clean plate forward on the counter.

"I would like Beast Boy to partake in the wonderment of this modern classic with me." Starfire's eyes were wide in amazement as Romeo followed his Juliet into an underground rave.

"I'd say I'm outnumbered." The empath in the corner mumbled dully, eyes closed and center found once more.

"All righty then. A few tweaks here and…" Cyborg trailed off, eyebrow raised.

"What is it?" The Boy Wonder mumbled catching the bionic teen's gaze.

"It says BB's in the Tower. He's in his room." The titanium Titan shook his head slightly. "I guess we should just leave him alone, huh? You think he still thinks he saw Terra back there?"

"I dunno. Maybe he's just depressed that she didn't come see him. I mean her statue is gone…" Robin sighed heavily before raising his arms over his head and flopping onto the couch next to Starfire. "Tell you what, Star. I'll enjoy the movie with you. How's that?"

"That is…most enjoyable, Robin." The alien girl giggled considerably as Romeo and Juliet shared their first kiss causing the Boy Wonder to redden considerably. Starfire leaned into Robin, resting her head upon his chest. "Perhaps someday we shall share another of these earth signs of affection?" She whispered a dull glint in her eyes.

"Perhaps," he squeaked back, trying to ignore the pounding of his heart in his chest.

Raven's eyes snapped open as she sensed the strong emotion coming from her two teammates. She landed on the floor and cast the pair of them a sideways glance before shaking her head slowly and retreated to the hallway towards her own room. "The warm fuzzy feeling is starting to make me sick," she muttered to Cyborg who was following in her footsteps.

"I dunno. I think it's kinda cute how Robin blushes…"

B&P

Yes, Beast Boy was back in the Tower and yes he was held up in his room for what he counted as the fourth time this week. But this time he actually had a reason. Okay, so reading up on your ex-best friend's life wasn't exactly a good reason to lock yourself away from human contact, but it was in fact a reason. Currently the shape-shifter had completely blocked out the rest of the world including the fact that he had witnessed Brother Blood and some of his little minions brewing a plan. Actually, ever since he'd found this second volume of Terra's diary he'd kind of forgotten he witnessed that at all.

Beast Boy was hanging off the bottom bunk of his bed on his back, head over the side and legs resting against the wall. The diary was resting on his stomach rising and falling with his every breath. Did he dare go on? Could he? Should he? Hell yeah. His hand reached for it and he brought it down to his eye level, the selection of pictures from Terra's life now in a neat pile to his left. "Okay, you can do this, Beast Boy. It won't hurt. It's just what she thought at the time…" He coaxed himself to read it, as if the words were going to bite his head off at any given moment.

_February 17th_

_Today's the day. Slade said I'm getting better, which is good considering all the bruises I'm getting. Oh well. Battle scars never hurt a girl. He still didn't say I was ready, but he told me it has to be done today. Why? I don't really know, but right now I don't care. As long as what he says is true, after I get rid of the Teen Titans he'll be proud of me and I'll be happier for it. But there's still this part of me in the back of my mind…Beast Boy- the Titans- they're my friends. Or they were anyways. But maybe they should have thought of my feelings before they betrayed my trust. Raven once told me that you have to earn trust. We'll they earned mine and broke it…So I guess this is what they deserve, right?_

_Terra_

Taking a deep breath the shape-shifter withdrew a loose page in the diary, not daring to voice his opinions of this entry aloud. It was strange, really, because Terra was sitting there writing this, telling him that she didn't care about him anymore…But he knew she did care because she mentioned names, Beast Boy, Raven. If she hadn't cared there was no doubt in his mind it would have been merely 'The Titans' as all of the villains of the past had referred to them, and there was the matter of this slip of paper…

It was wadded up into almost a square, almost like it was a note waiting to be read. Beast Boy slowly unfolded it feeling his heart rate speeding up and breathing getting quicker. The green changeling smoothed the creases out of the bit of notebook paper that didn't match any of the pages of the diary. He was avoiding reading this… whatever it was because he thought it would make the swirling of emotions he was feeling worse. Curiosity seemed to get the better of him, though, because he did finally bring himself to read the note.

_Beast Boy,_

_I know you're never going to read this and if you do you'll be thinking 'wow, this traitor liked me?' or something. But you don't understand. No one does. I never told anyone my side of the story because I was afraid to bring the past up. If it was in the past it couldn't get me. So I ran away from my problems. I can't do that anymore, though, Beast Boy. I'm about to destroy the city- and you with it. I don't know what's happening to me, Beast Boy, and it's scaring me. I just need to sit with you and talk, but I can't do that now. I already chose my path and it's not a good one. I just need to say one thing, though. Beast Boy- I don't know if you felt the same way about me…but I really cared for you, still do. The thing is I really…I l-_

It ended. Bolting upright in his bed and ignoring the crash of his skull on wood, Beast Boy tried to scan the letter for any sign of what that 'l' word was supposed to be. Like, love, learn? It could have been anything! There were no erase marks, so most likely she either started the letter and forgot about it or she was writing it and got pulled away. The shape-shifter was betting for the second option more then the first…But you never know. "Terra," he moaned rubbing the spot where his head had hit the top bunk, "If you're trying to tear me apart it's working."

Beast Boy leaned his back against the wall and pulled the diary toward him again; in reading the note he had dropped it upon the floor. The green teenager yawned widely before flipping through the book. There were a few more entries. He vaguely wondered if this included her return or if there were just many entries about how she took over the city. No, why would it be in the school if it had nothing about her current life? "Only one way to find out."

He flipped the pages lightly before finding it, the entry he was looking for a letting out a dull gasp. The page was completely torn from the spine and taped back in messily making him think that she had torn it out and replaced it later. Why, he didn't know exactly, but Beast Boy wouldn't let that stop him from reading on.

_February 19th?_

_I'm not actually sure of the date anymore. I'm not even sure of what I'm doing anymore. The Titans…I got rid of them and now the city is ours to control. But I feel kind of empty…I don't really know if it's because we ran all the citizens out or if it's because of Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and…Beast Boy. I didn't care when I drowned Raven in mud or when I knocked Cyborg down a bottomless pit. I didn't give a damn when I disposed of Robin or Starfire. The only time I really felt doubt was when I threw that line back in Beast Boy's face. I didn't really…want to get rid of him or any of the others. It was just…that line made it seem like…'I don't have any friends, remember?' It was like revenge…It was revenge enough seeing the look on his face. Getting rid of them was worse, way worse…But I did it anyway to please the man who took the place of my father…_

_Same day_

_I don't know where the Titans are and I don't particularly care. Thing of it is, they shouldn't be dead. I made sure they didn't actually die, because I still have a small part of me- the old me- inside. I gave Raven air bubbles, I made sure they all wound up in the same 'bottomless' cavern. So they can all die of carbon monoxide poison together or something. As long as they aren't anywhere near me or Slade when we scour the city, I don't care. Did I ever care? Yeah, I used to care what they thought of me. Those days have passed, though, and the only person I need to please is Slade. After training today, yeah we trained on the day we took over the city, go figure, we talked. He made me realize that if I ever want to make everyone- Brion, the Titans- see me for the power I really have this is what I have to do. And the up side is I get a father figure, too. My mind is still kind of screwed up, though. Seeds of doubt planted at an early age don't help much, but the city is ours, and today_

It faded off. What the hell. Beast Boy reread it. He had always wondered…Had it been a coincidence they all magically wound up in the same cavern? Terra had wanted them alive. Why? Beast Boy didn't have a doubt in his mind that the silver of the real Terra still in her had made her save them. Slade was in her mind, and she didn't even know of the neural suit controlling her body yet. The shape shifter gave a heavy sigh before closing the book and pushing it off to the side. He lay on his bed staring out the window at the night sky. "You always loved the stars, Terra. When I can count all those stars I'll stop caring about you the way I do…"


	5. Chapter 5: Blood Relationships

**CONSUMER WARNING: This chapter contains images that are not suitable for BB/Rae, BB/Star, BB/Rob or all you lovely Cy/BB shippers...The drawings in this chapter might drive you to do something crazy...No, really it's nothing too big. Just to give you all a fair warning and to use this cool bold font. **

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Sunlight streamed gently into the room through the open window casting light along the thin layer of junk that was covering the floor and eventually leading up to the bunk bed. The green shape-shifter, however, seemed completely oblivious to the fact that a new day had dawned for his eyes were firmly closed, a cross between a frown and a smirk upon his lips. Terra's diary lay in the crook of his arm and upon his chest and underneath one hand was a photograph of the two of them, Terra and Beast Boy.

The changeling, though, was lost deep in sleep mingling with a dream-like state at the moment. The dream he had been having involving the colorful fruit seemed to vanish before his dream counterpart's eyes to be replaced with a semi-familiar scene.

**Emerald eyes scanned the area cautiously, hands folded lazily behind his head. "I am SO not in Titans Tower anymore," Beast Boy groaned reaching for his communicator to contact the others, but found it was missing. He shrugged it off and let his arm hang limply at his side, now biting his lower lip.**

"**Dude, this place…it's…" He had been here before in one of many past missions. This one, though, stuck fresh in his mind from reading about it and reliving it in his brain more then a few times over the last week. This was the diamond mine the Titans had tried to protect during that first assignment with Terra, the one where she had first met Slade. "Why am I here?" Beast Boy murmured, kicking a nearby rock. "Of all places?"**

"**The same reason I'm here." At the sound of the irritatingly familiar voice the shape-shifter whipped around, eyes closed in an effort to keep the pent up emotion inside him.**

"**Look, Slade, I don't need you screwing with my life anymore!" Unconsciously Beast Boy let one eye break open to a squint and his jaw dropped slightly at what he saw. "T-terra…" **

**Indeed the blonde geomancer was standing across from him, arms wrapped around her frail frame and eyes averted from the changeling. "I told you that's not-" Terra gritted her teeth as if fighting with herself for a moment or two before her voice faded back to its normal state, softer then it normally would have been. "…That's me. I-I'm sorry, B-beast Boy. I…" **

**The shape-shifter edged forward extended a hand to her but she seemed to recoil. At that, Beast Boy let his arm fall limply to his side again, eyes staring at the ground before he brought his gaze toward Terra again. Well, now she wasn't denying who she was but she was still being weird. "It's okay," his voice was hushed but his tone held his seriousness. "It's okay," he repeated catching her disbelieving stare upon him. "I forgive you."**

"…**Why?" Terra closed her eyes and bit her lower lip slightly, one arm moving to rub the opposite one. "I did so much to you, Beast Boy. Why would you forgive me?"**

**The changeling shrugged one shoulder, his answer coming out almost instantaneously. "You're my friend. I would give you my trust again no matter what. Raven says I trust to easy. She says that after what happened I should be more cautious then anybody, but I'm not, not really." Beast Boy took a deep breath before going on. "Even if I didn't get to see your side of the story I would still trust you."**

"**You read my diary?" Terra's expression was blank and her voice came out in a sort of monotone that would challenge Raven's. She didn't seem mad but at the same time she didn't exactly seem happy about it, either.**

"**Not quite the reaction I was expecting but…" The shape-shifter sucked in air through his teeth before nodding, his eyes now fixed upon that rock again. "I just wanted to know you, Terra. Once you said 'you don't know anything about me'. I felt like I _should_ know more about you. I was…" Beast Boy paused, eyes closing and head inclined, "The best friend you ever had…"**

**That sparked something deep within the geomancer's veins resurfacing old memories and emotions. "You're too good for me, Beast Boy," Terra murmured quietly, moving forward and placing a hand upon his shoulder. "Still, that was my _diary_."**

**Beast Boy felt a familiar lump in his throat forming. She was so close, she was touching him and it felt right. The shape-shifter let out a heavy sigh, though with it came a sudden burst of affection in the form of a purring sound. Blushing slightly the green teenager cleared his throat jumping to his defense. "Hey, your voice told me to read it. Plus you said if you liked the person you wouldn't kill 'em. So am I dead?" He offered her a smirk, eyes glittering with mischief.**

**Terra laughed for the first time within the span of a week, a real laugh not one of those fake ones, as he purred. The blonde slowly moved her hand to his cheek, gently stroking it, though paused when hearing his answer. "My voice," the geomancer murmured with a raised eyebrow. "No, you're too cute to be dead."**

**As she ran her hand over his cheek Beast Boy felt old emotions boiling just beneath his skin. When she stopped, he clenched his throat in an attempt to stop another of his animalistic noises from coming out, but couldn't suppress the whimper. The changeling brought his gloved hand over hers, just managing to get a string of words together. "You're not looking too bad yourself, Terra."**

**She offered a deep sigh which he echoed. It was almost instinctive when he brought his hand to her cheek, the other behind her head and drew her closer to him. Terra obliged arms already around his neck. The geomancer looked into Beast Boy's eyes for a split second, but on intuition closed her eyes. They were so close, inches apart. He let out a soft moan of longing; the changeling had waited so long for this…**

…**So a few more minutes wouldn't kill him, right? Just as Terra and Beast Boy had been about to make up for the first kiss Slade had interrupted that fateful night, something broke the pair apart forcefully sending the shape-shifter to the ground. He sprang to his feet, eyes narrowed as he glared around the cavern. "Dude, what gives?"**

**The 'dude' in question was what Beast Boy had thought would have been one of the H.I.V.E. graduates, but he was mistaken- or at least he thought he was. The guy turned out to be a familiar face, or rather mask. "Strong link," the villain commented with a hint of irritation in his voice. "I can't have you screwing up the plan."**

"**The plan? What plan?" But Beast Boy could say no more; a disk with the Slade insignia struck him squarely between the eyes sending him into oblivion. When he woke up he had no doubt he'd be either strapped to a table or near dead. The last thing he saw before blacking out was Terra's form collapsing as well. With a groan the shape-shifter's eyes fluttered closed tasting the darkness…**

B&P

In the darkened house only silence could be heard for the time being, but it was soon broken by a horse moaning and the thrashing of one Tara Markov. The bedclothes were practically holding her in like a straightjacket, wrapped up around her arms and neck. When the blonde finally managed to jog herself out of her sleep, a sharp pang was issuing through her head. "So close," she grumbled blankly, now free of her restraint and sitting at the edge of her bed, gazing about the small room that was hers.

Dreams like this had been coming for a while now, ones of her in past memories, except normally Beast Boy was absent from the reverie. Tonight was different though. Most notably, her green shape-shifter had made an appearance and even weirder was that she had accepted him again. They had almost…forgiven each other.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed Tara stood arms wrapped around her frame as she, still in her pajamas, ventured out into the rest of the house. She was thirsty and it wasn't like Sebastian would care; he was the headmaster of Murakami School, and had apparently taking a liking to Tara when she had sent in an application. He even managed to twist a few rules about birth certificates in order to keep her in the school, and since she was living with him now no one could say anything about it.

Once in the kitchen Tara flopped onto a barstool and sipped away at a glass of milk, scanning the countertop for that item she needed. "Where's my diary?" She voiced her thought aloud, surprised that she got a response at all.

"Tara, what are you doing up?"

She turned her head a fraction of an inch to the side to catch sight of the graying headmaster Sebastian and forced a dull smile. "Bad dream," she answered shortly, not daring to go into detail of the dream itself. Tara offered a heavy sigh before folding her arms upon the table and resting her chin there.

"What about? Nothing too distracting I hope." Sebastian was stationed directly opposite Tara at the counter bluish eyes hiding some unseen emotion that Tara couldn't quite pinpoint. She shrugged lightly before shaking her head.

"Just your average stuff…"

"…Including the Teen Titans?" Tara inhaled sharply at this particular comment choosing to stay silent for just a millisecond too long. Her eyes were averted from his as he spoke once more. "I know who you are, Terra, probably even more then that shape-shifter does, even with that diary."

"…What do you want?" She hissed through her teeth, ceasing all movement to stare directly into those eyes. Why had she ever trusted this man in the first place? That was a story all its own. "Besides trying to get me to forget everything."

"Oh, you noticed." His voice seemed to shift ever so slightly, now holding more of a harsh tone then his caring and compassionate one. Terra wouldn't know of him because he came after she did in the Titans timeline, but just from his voice she could tell this was not somebody to mess with. "Think of it as mind-control. Apparently your mind is stronger after that encounter with Slade, though. Eventually you broke my memory shield and slowly started reliving it all. Still, though, why did you run from him, the shape-shifter?"

"I…" Terra clenched her teeth before standing, eyes sparking with emotion. "Don't have to tell you anything!" The blonde stood defiantly hands balled into fists at her sides and shaking slightly from anger. This man, whoever he was, had a hand in her revival and then tried to block out her memories. He had convinced her that the Titans wouldn't accept her back again and made her think that a normal life would be better, but now she wasn't so sure. "Who are you?"

"Call me Brother Blood, my dear." He stepped forward, cloak falling to the side. "Back and better then ever." Terra instinctively backed up a foot or two, mouth hanging slightly open. The man she had known must have been a complete lie for this man, this Blood, wasn't completely human. His body was cybernetic, like Cyborg's was, only red. Even his left eye mirrored Cyborg's. But there was something else, something more machine about this Blood that she couldn't quite point out. As the blonde backed up, though, she found herself cornered. Eyes wide she stared blankly at Blood waiting for the hit…

…But it didn't come, not yet. "No matter where you run every step brings you closer…"

"SHUT UP!" Terra felt the power surging beneath her, the power she had denied for so long. Her eyes were flashing gold as were her hands, but the geomancer couldn't handle the sudden burst get out, just what Blood had wanted.

"To him. Slade. He might not have had anything to do with your revival, but now he will use you as bait. The Titans will come, especially that green one…" Blood was taunting her, making her blood boil beneath her skin.

"Shut up," Terra panted, eyes forced closed. This much power release would not be a good thing in the least; if anything, it would bring down the entire building and kill them both. Then why was Blood urging her to let it out?

It didn't matter, though, because the geomancer couldn't hold it in any longer. She clenched her teeth together now shaking with the effort of holding the energy in, but it was no use. The bolt of yellow darted from Terra's body and straight into Blood's chest. He was absorbing her power, her energy for his own. In the release, Terra had let out all the energy she had stored up; there was nothing left. It had taken so much out of her that she had collapsed on the spot, just as Blood had planned.

There was maniacal laughter that faded after a moment or two so Blood could speak. "Such power cannot be contained in one little girl. Such power can be handled only by someone of control and strength. I have done my part and gotten my reward." He moved his bionic wrist to his mouth and contacted the base. "Blood here. Target acquired. Returning to base now." Lifting the unconscious Terra over his shoulder, Blood left the house seemingly unoccupied, but there were lookouts just in case one of those Titans decided to show up here and look around. The clues were set, the trail was simple to follow, and the game of cat and mouse had begun.

B&P

Meanwhile in Titans Tower, Beast Boy had just jolted out of his sleep by falling off the bed. Groaning slightly, the changeling dragged himself to a seated position and gave a wide yawn. He ran a hand through his hair before sighing heavily. "That was so real," he commented not noticing the diary had fallen with him. Now the shape-shifter was staring blankly at the Polaroid of himself and Terra. They had been so happy before…

Again the book seemed to find him. It had landed in his lap somehow, and for a reason unknown to Beast Boy, he opened the book to the torn page and flipped it again, finding an entry that was almost six months later. "Hey, this must be when she came back," he murmured in a hushed voice to himself as he settled himself down to read.

_August 19th_

_I'm back. Somehow. From what I heard from the citizens of Jump City is that Raven's father made a visit while I was gone. Apparently he almost caused the end of the world, but the Titans, Raven, stopped him. I guess he petrified a load of people and when Raven stopped Trigon from destroying the earth everyone was brought back to normal, me included. I don't know what Raven would say if she knew she brought me back to life. Actually, I have no way of knowing what any of the Titans would say. I have no idea how long I've been passed out down in this cavern, but the Titans are now all over the world. I guess that's what superheroes do, though, save the world._

_Terra_

Beast Boy couldn't help but let his jaw drop slightly. Raven had brought Terra back? Well, that was irony. The shape-shifter shook his head slowly; if he had been there when she was revived maybe she wouldn't have gone off to the school at all. Maybe she would have come back to the Titans. The changeling gave a dull sigh before turning the page- but to his surprise there were no more entries. Why would Terra keep a diary if there were no entries? "Cliffhanger endings suck," the green boy hissed turning the book over and examining the back.

He opened it from that end and was greeted by a flurry of notebook paper. Most were drawings depicting himself, which Beast Boy grinned stupidly at. He looked really good in a lot of these pictures. As he sifted through the drawings, though, he found one of himself and Terra that was probably drawn from memory. The shape-shifter bit his lower lip as he pulled it out of the pile and stared at it. "I would have forgiven you, Terra," he murmured shaking his head slowly.

The sketch was of Terra in her apprentice uniform standing over a large ditch with Beast Boy gripping the edge. It was fully colored, and it seemed perfectly accurate. Usually when people attempted to draw Beast Boy they ended up with an entirely wrong shade of green, but this was perfect. In Terra's scrawl on the side of the picture were words that stuck in Beast Boy's mind since the moment she'd said them: 'I don't have any friends, remember?'

The green teenager flipped the piece of paper over to find something even more amazing. How she had done it was beyond him. Beast Boy had even let a small gasp escape him for this pose must have been extremely hard to draw from memory; they had been hugging at the time so it would have been hard for her to draw herself when she couldn't even see herself.

But there it was in black and white. The drawing showed Terra and Beast Boy's goodbye just before she had sacrificed herself to save the city. Her head was resting on his shoulder and there were tears upon her face; he was holding her close not wanting to let go. But they both knew it had to end…This quote struck another nerve, the one she had written in cursive just over their heads: 'You were the best friend I ever had…'

Beast Boy closed his eyes, silent sobs engulfing him for nearly five minutes. He sat there, picture in one hand and the diary in the other. She remembered it all; why had she run away from him? The changeling finally forced his eyes open to run his hand over the sketch. The way she had colored it made Beast Boy mostly white and Terra mostly black. He wondered if that was symbolism or not for roughly five seconds before shakily he opened the diary once more. The two end pages were stuck together…

Beast Boy's heartbeat was already rapid from the emotion he was feeling, but this brought upon another emotion: apprehension. What would this be another note or something else? The shape-shifter set the drawing down on the floor with the others and brought his trembling hand forward to turn the page…

_Dear Beast Boy,_

_I don't know if you'll ever get to read this or not, but I need to get out what I've been containing in me for so long. I wrote another one of these notes when I was with Slade, but it never got finished because…he stopped me. Anyway, you were always the one that knew me best. You were my first friend in a long time and the best friend I ever had, but I always had something more for you. Beast Boy, I loved you, still do to this day. After everything we've been through, though, I just want you to be happy. I know I hurt you so much when I betrayed you…I'm sorry…for everything I've done to you. It was probably worse when I sacrificed myself to save the city, but that had to be done. When you saw me that day you probably thought I would come back and be with you just like old times…But I didn't. Why? There's this little voice in the back of my mind telling me you won't care about me anymore and will turn me away, but I don't listen to it. The real reason, Beast Boy, is because I'm punishing myself for what I did to you, to the Titans. If I could ever be happy with you I won't be. I'm forcing myself to live a normal life. But I realize that in punishing myself I'm punishing you, too. I just can't win, can I? But don't think for a minute that I'm doing this because I hate you, Beast Boy, because it's anything but that. I really and truly care about you more then anyone I ever have before…even my father, even Slade, even Brion. I just needed to say goodbye…Never change, Beast Boy. You're perfect the way you are…_

_Love always,_

_Terra_

Throughout reading the note Beast Boy had paused having to start at the beginning and reread it to make sure he understood it correctly. By the time he was through with the letter, the changeling was forcing back tears again. She loved him? She _loved him_. By the looks of it this letter had been written recently and within the last week, too. Flipping the page of the diary the green teenager found the date inscribed on the back. "This was written three days ago," Beast Boy muttered to himself letting the book fall from his grasp and onto the floor. Shivering slightly, the shape-shifter pulled himself onto the bed sending the small pile of pictures resting upon it to the floor.

He ignored it though and for the first time since the Terra incident morphed into a puppy and curled up upon his bed, eyes falling closed. Beast Boy issued a slight whimper; if she loved him why would she make him suffer like this? And she was suffering, too, which only made it worse.

The changeling would have drifted off into an uneasy sleep hadn't a rock flown through his window. Returning to human form Beast Boy slowly made his way to the rock; there was something rolled around it, a piece of paper. Raising an eyebrow the green teenager bent down to pick it up and unrolled the note…

…the ransom note.

**We Have What You Want. If You Ever Want To See Terra Again Meet Me At Pier 41 At Nine O'clock Sharp. Come Alone. Or You'll Wish You Never Came At All.**


	6. Chapter 6: Let's Make a Deal

**I'm feeling particularly generous today, so you guys get another chapter. Read on my friends...Read on.**

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The digital clock buried under a pile of comic books on his nightstand was blinking 8:45 in big red numbers. Beast Boy felt his fist crumple the ransom note into a ball in his fist as he perched himself on the ledge of his now broken window. His green locks blew in the evening breeze as he looked off towards the piers. "So I'm walking right into a trap. So whoever has Terra probably won't even let her go when I get there. I owe her one."

The shape-shifter's eyes were narrowed threateningly as he literally leapt off of the windowsill and plummeted towards the ground morphing into a peregrine falcon, the fastest of all birds. The green bird pulled out of the dive just as he was about to hit the ground and glided over the water at breakneck speed. Beast Boy's mind was racing, his heart pounding within his chest. He had to get there as soon as possible before something happened…

B&P

"BB's been missing a lot of missions lately, eh?" Cyborg commented as the Titans reentered the Tower after facing off with that shape-shifting creature again. "Maybe if we had a green African Elephant we could distract it or something…"

"If he wants to stay on this team he's going to have to shape up," Robin commented as he leaned himself back against the counter. "I don't want to replace him but we need five strong to beat this thing." The Boy Wonder was busy trying to get tar off of his cape, attention more on this then the conversation.

"Friend Beast Boy is feeling the heartbreak, yes?" Starfire was busily trying to mix up everything in the kitchen to make the Tamaranian dish of happiness like she promised Beast Boy the other day. "We must help him."

Raven snorted slightly unable to contain her irritation even though she was trying to meditate near the window. "If he wanted our help he wouldn't be locked up in his room for twenty three hours of the day." The empath shook her head slowly cracking one eye open. "He wants to be alone."

"But he's a part of this team," Robin countered straightening up slightly. "He completely ignored my calls earlier. If he wants to go solo maybe he should." The Titans leader shrugged his shoulders slightly, a heavy sigh escaping him.

"But Beast Boy cannot do the solo hero thing." Starfire had looked up from her cooking to stare blankly at Robin. "He told me so when I went into the future. If he does break away from the team that will bring about the Rekmas and the future I fear. And Beast Boy will be bald, which is bad, yes?"

"I'm not letting him quit this team!" Cyborg growled a vein in his forehead throbbing slightly. "Little midget's the only source of fun we have in this Tower. See how tense it is in here without him?"

There was a moment of silence before Raven spoke up. "I kind of enjoy being able to hear myself think," she deadpanned with a slight smirk upon her face. "But if we let Beast Boy loose on the world who knows what'll happen."

"The only way to fix a problem is to confront it," the Boy Wonder finally replied pushing himself off from the counter and hovering in the doorway leading to the hall where the Titans' rooms were located. "I'm going to talk to him." Robin turned to go and walked a few paces before pausing, waiting for assistance but none came. Turning with a frown on his face the masked boy tilted his head to one side. "Aren't you coming?"

"What, Robin, afraid he's going to smash you into the wall again?" Cyborg snickered lightly before receiving a death glare from the Boy Wonder. The bionic teen coughed slightly before following after Robin. "Little man's coming out of that room…"

"Friends, wait! I shall be of assistance!" Starfire abandoned the bowl containing the contents of the refrigerator and hovering after the boys but stopped as Robin and Cyborg turned the corner. The alien girl cast a glance toward Raven who was floating near the window eyes closed. "Raven?" She spoke cautiously not wanting to disturb her friend.

"Yes?"

"You will come with us, yes?"

"I really need to keep my emotions in order, Starfire…"

"Talking to Beast Boy will help. I am certain of it."

"You don't understand. I-" Raven trailed off eyes snapping open as she stared at the Tamaranian girl's wide eyes. "Nevermind." The empath stood and made to follow but Starfire had grasped her hand and was leading her down the hallways.

"Friends! Raven will assist us in getting Beast Boy out of the room of soli-" She paused nearly colliding with Cyborg who was lingering outside the door to Beast Boy's room with a grim expression on his face. "-tude. Cyborg, what is wrong?"

"Beast Boy's gone," the titanium Titan answered in a dull tone while Starfire glided past him into the room where Robin stood overlooking some scattered glass on the ground.

"Couldn't you just track him with the communicator frequency like you did before?" Raven muttered with a raised eyebrow, but only got a shake of Cyborg's head in reply. "Why not?"

"BB turned off his communicator. No way to track him that way. Can you sense him, Rae?" The half robot held a tone of hope in his voice as he spoke; losing your best friend was a blow below the belt but knowing that the last time you spoke to him you were going to kill him or talking about pepperoni to a vegetarian made it worse.

Raven paused placing her middle and pointer fingers to her temples. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes attempting to trace Beast Boy in any way she could. There was a strong string of emotions and then "Got him. Down at the pier…Pier 41."

"Boo-yah! Go Raven!" Cyborg raised his metal hand for a high-five but Raven merely levitated past him into the room. "Okay, so why don't we just go down there and- Rob?"

"This glass was broken from the outside. Someone- or something- from the outside broke into Beast Boy's room." The Boy Wonder's tone was grim and his expression solemn as he shook his head.

"Why would someone want to infiltrate the Tower through the room of Beast Boy?" Starfire had landed next to Robin and was looking at the pattern of the glass with a bemused expression. "You do not think someone wanted friend Beast Boy gone?"

"Star, we have a lot of enemies. I'm sure more then one of 'em wants the little green bean dead." Cyborg scratched the back of his head in irritation. "I still say we have to go get him! He's our teammate!"

"How can you be sure it was a living thing that broke through the window? Maybe it was an inanimate object." Raven was looking at the hole in the window. "No one besides someone Beast Boy's size could get through that hole anyway."

"So you're saying a rock or something flew through Beast Boy's window?" Robin sighed slightly running a hand through his hair with the other resting at his side. "And then Beast Boy left through the window?"

"Yeah."

"That makes sense- except for one thing. Why didn't he get us to help him with whatever's going on?" Cyborg was setting his bionic eye to scan for anything out of place. He paused as he came upon a scattered amount of stuff near the changeling's bed. "Hey ya'll. Look at these." The bionic teen had picked up the drawing Terra had done of the pair of them. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "You don't think…"

Robin had bent down to examine some of the other items. First he examined a snapshot of a young Terra with two others he didn't know. "I don't know if she's alive but somehow Beast Boy got a hold of some of her stuff. This must have been her family…"

"Friend Terra lived here?' Starfire held up the map of Markovia and let out a slight sigh. "We really did not know much about her."

Raven was lingering near the doorway but had conjured some black energy to one of the books on the ground. "Since when does Beast Boy read?"

"He was reading one of these against the gate of Murakami School after we faced the shape-shifter yesterday." Robin picked up the companion series and flipped through a few pages realization dawning upon his face. "This was her diary."

"This _is_ her diary," Raven commented a slight crack in her voice. She snapped the book shut and exited the room without another word.

"Rae, what's up?" Cyborg hissed after her though she didn't respond. The half robot turned to the other two and shrugged slightly. "So you think he went to see Terra or something?"

"Probably. That's what the evidence suggests, but I don't know why the window was broken…" The Boy Wonder let out a dull sigh before following Raven out of the door with Starfire at his heels.

"Why did Beast Boy not invite us to see friend Terra?" She mumbled a hint of sadness in her voice. "Did he not think us worthy of her friendship?"

"No. I think he wants some alone time with her, though," Robin replied.

The voices faded and left Cyborg alone in Beast Boy's room. Something was telling him that this did have something to do with Terra but something else was telling him there was more to it then Beast Boy going to visit her. The bionic teen let out a sigh before staring blankly out the window towards the piers. Pier 41…He let out a dull groan before he began talking into his forearm. "Guys, I have a bad feeling about this whole Pier 41 thing. Remember the last time we were there?"

"You think Slade has something to do with it?" Came Robin's reply, a hint of rage in his voice.

"I don't know, man, I just think BB's in trouble."

"We must help our friend!" Starfire's voice was full of sudden worry.

"Since when is Beast Boy _not_ in trouble?"

"All right, Titans. Looks like we're heading down to Pier 41…"

B&P

Breaking into a deep dive, the green peregrine falcon pulled out just in time, reverting to human form and landing lightly in a crouch just in front of Pier 41. Beast Boy slowly brought himself to a standing position, eyes wandering for any sign of whoever had sent that note- or more importantly for Terra. The shape-shifter withdrew his communicator and stared at the blank interface. There was a chance the Titans hadn't even checked for him yet- though he doubted it- but he needed the time.

Flipping the device on once more the changeling stared at the black digital numbers of the stopwatch feature on his communicator. "Nine o'clock on the dot," Beast Boy murmured disabling the communicator and snapping it shut. "Dude, I thought it was 'nine o'clock sharp'. If you're late why were you all worried about me being late?" He paused letting his voice fade off into nothingness before taking a cautious step forward only to be stopped by a familiar voice.

"Stop right there, Beast Boy."

He did stop, his own footsteps dying out as another set echoed against the ground. "Slade. You said you didn't have anything to do with-"

"As you have read, child, I had nothing to do with Terra's revival, but there was nothing to say I wasn't going to take her back afterward. She was my _favorite _Apprentice…" The masked man came into view form the shadows hands clasped behind his back and Beast Boy guess that behind his bicolored mask there was a smirk. "But no one betrays me."

"Terra did," the green changeling said dully. "And don't talk about her like that! You made her think you _cared_ about her! You made her think…" Beast Boy trailed off his voice cracking slightly. "You made her think…"

Deep ragged breathing from Slade dragged the shape-shifter from his sentence, eyes snapping up to stare blankly at him as he spoke. "Terra, I am your father." The masked villain let out a dull laugh as he started to circle Beast Boy, but the green teenager merely began circling, too, so they were across from each other. "It was just so easy to mold her to my will. She had a father fetish ever since she was three years old. She _wanted _to please me. If it wasn't for you, Beast Boy, I would have succeeded…"

"Shut up," the changeling hissed through his teeth. "If you're Darth Vader then I'm Luke. Where is she?"

"Who? Princess Leia?" The villain gave a dull chuckle as he pulled a long metal rod from his person. "She's safe. For now."

"Oh darn. I left my light saber at home." Eyes narrowing Beast Boy felt his hands ball into fists at his side, his form rapidly shifting. A green wolf took the place of the teenager and it lunged for Slade, who merely sidestepped him and twirled the staff above his head.

"Such anger, Beast Boy. Don't you want to talk about it?" Slade's smirk behind his mask grew as the shape-shifter scrambled to his feet, morphing into a saber-toothed tiger and pounced forward, but Slade merely ducked avoiding the green fury of fur completely. "Come now, child. This is no way to bargain. I could just have my men dispose of a certain geomancer…"

Resuming human form the changeling tilted his head to one side. "Geo-what?" Beast Boy scratched his head slightly, shaking slightly from anger.

"Geomancer- someone who controls the earth or in other words, Terra." The villain let out a slight sigh. "Funny how love plays an important part in teenager's lives. I should have used complications of the heart to destroy you Titans years ago."

There was silence and then "What do I have to do." He said it like a statement, not a question because his voice simply lost all emotion. Beast Boy recoiled, eyes boring into Slade's mask as he awaited an answer.

"Come with me, Beast Boy and I'll explain on the way. You're entitled at least to a final goodbye before your demise…" Slade sauntered off his back turned completely to the Titan. Anyone in their right mind would have taken the opportunity to take out their enemy from behind but then Beast Boy was not in his right mind at the moment. Robin's words were ringing in his ears as he hung his head and followed Slade like a puppy that had just been scolded. _That was a dirty trick. Reminds me of something Slade might pull._

Seemingly out of nowhere the shape-shifter spoke. "I am _nothing_ like you."

"Oh contraire, Beast Boy. We share one common bond and that is Terra." Whatever Slade had meant to imply by that statement didn't make it to Beast Boy's mind. The thing that did make it to his mind was this:

"One common bond means nothing. If I started walking around in a black and orange mask, then I'd start to worry…"

B&P

"Did you just get static from Beast Boy's communicator or am I imagining things?" Robin called over the roar of the T-Car's engine. The Titans were positioned in their normal seats, but the empty seat in the back let a long silence take over the car that had just now been broken by Robin.

"Yeah, Rae was right. He's at Pier 41 right now." Cyborg had one hand on the steering wheel and the other at his side while staring blankly at the newly installed automated no touch command panel on the dashboard. It obviously wasn't working because the bionic teen was still maneuvering the car as usual.

"We are almost there?" Starfire whispered, bringing her gaze from the window to stare pointedly at the Titans leader. "I fear Beast Boy is in danger."

"Don't worry, Starfire. I can still sense him. Beast Boy's fine physically, but his emotions are kind of all over the place…" Raven bit her lower lip having a vague idea of why his emotions were out of control.

Cyborg stared at the empath through the rearview mirror and raised an eyebrow. "Girl, you sensing something or you got something stuck up your nose?" The bionic teen shifted his gaze back to the road as Raven let a slight growl escape her throat.

"Not something. Two someones," she answered shortly, slumping in her seat.

"Who?" Robin turned to face her, eyes boring into hers from behind his mask. He could sense her insecurity about the entire situation because they had that bond ever since they had been inside each other's minds. "Come on, Raven. If we want to help Beast Boy we could really use this information."

"Please, Raven tell us what you sense." The empath had turned to stare at Starfire to avoid the Boy Wonder's piercing gaze but the Tamaranian's big green emotion filled eyes weren't much better. She sighed heavily before refocusing her attention back on Robin, biting her lower lip.

"I sense Terra." Her expression darkened before she spoke again. "And Slade."

If you could see Robin's eyes they probably would have bugged out and then narrowed within the span of two seconds and then held a deep obsessive gleam. Hidden behind his mask, though, the Boy Wonder's emotions were safe from all. Except Raven.

"Calm down, Robin. I hate him, too, but that doesn't mean we're going to go in there and start shooting bird-a-rangs…" As Raven spoke the Boy Wonder's hand slipped from his utility belt to drum against the armrest casually.

"I wasn't going to," the Titans leader mumbled, catching Cyborg's gaze and shaking his head slowly.

"Man, we all know you were 'bout to go in there and blast his head off." The T-Car made a sharp turn and the Boy Wonder slammed into the dashboard face first. "So cool your jets or I'll turn this car right around and go back to the Tower."

"But then friends Beast Boy and Terra will be in trouble…" Starfire murmured hands clasped to her chest.

"He was joking, Starfire," Robin assured her waving a hand.

"A bad joke but a joke none the less." From the rearview mirror Cyborg glared momentarily at Raven before veering slightly and watching in amusement as the empath rammed into the car door.

"Boo yah. Ya'll wanna keep talking about me? My baby got my back…"

"All right, Cy let's get back to mission mode." The cybernetic teen nodded slightly reclining back and putting all of his attention on the road. "It's gonna be a long night."

"Ya'll, any night out with BB is a long night," Cyborg replied dully finally turning into the piers. "A night with Slade is never ending."

"But we will persevere because we are friends." Starfire was staring determinedly ahead of them counting the pier numbers as they passed them. "Friends do not let friends face off against masked villains alone."

"We'll get Beast Boy back," Robin added with a nod of his head. "We'll take Slade out."

Raven sighed slightly fighting with her emotions to decide that Terra had more then paid for what she had done by sacrificing herself for the city, but that didn't mean she had to like Terra. It just meant she wouldn't let her die at the hands of a supervillain. "Once a Titan always a Titan."

"Oh yeah. Titans in the house." The T-Car pulled to a screeching halt outside Pier 41 and a deadly silence enveloped the surrounding area. "C'mon ya'll. Let's kick some butt." With that unofficial battle cry four out of five Titans filed out only to stand immobile next to the car.

"Titans! Go!" At Robin's command they moved forward towards the building not knowing what they would find inside.

B&P

Inside the warehouse talk was going on, but not your normal hero/villain banter. The talk going on was negotiation. "Call the Titans. Tell them to come help you and Terra. She will live, Beast Boy, you will live. As long as the rest are dead it doesn't matter to me." The tone of Slade's voice was acidic and annoyed. They had been at this for fifteen minutes already and still the shape-shifter refused to betray his friends.

"No deal, Slade. You give me Terra back and I don't beat your face in how's that?" The changeling's voice shifted into a growl near the end of that sentence, but as he stood up from his chair at a small wooden table to stare at Terra strapped to a metal table nearby he fell back into his seat. "Sorry. Hormones…"

"Yes, teenagers seem to have that particular problem." The villain let out a heavy sigh before his eye lit up. "Fine, Beast Boy. This is my final offer. Take it or leave it, understand?"

"Got it."

"All right. Hear me out on this one, child." Beast Boy nodded and watched as Slade stood and made his way to the table where the unconscious Terra lay. The villain reached out stroking her blonde locks only causing the changeling to let out a fierce growl of anger.

"I'm listening. Stop touching her…"

"Forgive me, Beast Boy, but I don't think you're in the position to be giving orders." Slade gave a dull chuckle before going on. "I'll let Terra go if you were to do me a… _favor_." His voice became slightly deeper as he said the word.

"…What kind of favor?" Beast Boy's eyes were still locked upon Terra, though since Slade had stopped his stroking his focus was back on the conversation.

"Nothing really."

"Stop screwing around, Slade. Give me the offer!" The shape-shifter stood and faced the villain, eyes narrowed.

"Patience is a virtue, child." The villain paused, letting the silence torment the changeling for a moment before going on. "I only need you to get me a chip."

"Dude, I don't think getting you snacks is going to-"

"A computer chip, Beast Boy."

"Oh, you want me to steal for you?' The changeling gave a slight laugh before catching the seriousness of Slade's gaze and to Beast Boy's horror he withdrew a handgun from his belt and pointed it at the unconscious Terra's head. "I'll do it," he muttered resolutely. "Just put the gun down. I don't want your trigger-happy fingers getting any ideas…"

"That's another thing, Beast Boy."

"What?"

"Respect is something I value from my Apprentices." Slade paused letting that word sink in as well.

"…Apprentice?"

"You want Terra to live, don't you?"

"Yes…"

"Yes what?" Slade's one eye seemed to bulge on this line, not moving the handgun from its position.

"Yes, _sir_." Defeated, Beast Boy hung his head and let out a deep sigh, the only satisfaction he got was the fact that the gun was hidden back in Slade's belt. "So, what do I do now?"

"Change your clothes and then-"

Slade was interrupted by the ever famous line of "Titans! Go!" The villain handed the shape-shifter an earpiece which Beast Boy promptly put in hearing Slade's voice in his head louder and clearer now.

"Change of plans, Beast Boy. Take care of our visitors, will you? I'll take care of Terra. You do the rest." Slade disappeared into the shadows and to Beast Boy's despair so did the table carrying Terra.

"Beast Boy?" Robin advanced forward a bemused expression upon his face. "Are you okay?"

"_Apprentice! They don't know of your allegiance. Act natural."_

"BB?" Cyborg stepped forward next, but still the shape-shifter remained silent, eyes glued to the ground.

"Friend, you are unharmed?"

"Great, he lost the ability to speak."

"_Deceive them, Apprentice, or your friend pays the price…"_

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**Rogue here. Okay, I know the Beast Boy Apprentice thing is slightly over-played, but belive me this is...different in a few ways. -cough- Anyway, I like to keep you on your toes. Remember that. The good stuff is yet to come...**


	7. Chapter 7: Bargaining, Chips, and Plans

**Okay, okay. Here's the next installment. Hopefully the title will make more sense after you read the chapter... **

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"…" The changeling remained silent, head filled with thoughts and mixed in with a madman's voice. What did Slade want him to do? Kill them? It took all of his pride to finally draw his gaze from the ground to stare at the four of them, the usual spark in his eyes diminished making his eyes seem a darker green then usual. Beast Boy opened his mouth but no words came out; instead he was mouthing silently at his friends, all of whom seemed a tad bit distraught.

"Raven," Cyborg hissed from behind her. "Maybe he can't talk. Don't go saying stuff like that before we know what's going on. You could really bring down his self-esteem." The bionic teen had released his sonic cannon upon entering the warehouse but since finding only Beast Boy in the building it had retracted and he was now doing a scan on the shape-shifter's body. "Brain waves are low; normal for BB. Heartbeat's fast, breathing unsteady. Looks like Beast Boy just has a bad case of shock."

"So why isn't he telling us what happened like he usually would?" Raven's hood was drawn as she stared out at Beast Boy, her voice dry from all emotion. "Normally he would have talked our ears off by now."

"Friend, you will come home now." It wasn't a question, more of an order. The alien girl floated forward latching her hand around Beast Boy's wrist. Panicking at the action the changeling let out a slight yelp and yanked his arm away with such force that Starfire was sent flying backward into a pile of crates. "Again you demonstrate strength I have yet to see from you, Beast Boy." The Tamaranian seemed unscathed as she floated back to the group but her eyes held concern for her friend. Something was definitely wrong.

"Beast Boy," Robin called his attention speaking slowly and clearly, "We know you found Terra's diary, uh, diaries." He paused choosing his words carefully gaze never leaving the shape-shifter's and Beast Boy's eyes were locked on the Boy Wonder's masked ones. "We know she came back. We know you miss her. But you can't let your feelings for Terra interfere with your duty. Remember the hero's oath? We're to protect this city- and the world if we need to- no matter what."

Still there was no response, though this time Beast Boy had been on the verge of an irritated reply, but got off when he opened his mouth. Static rang in his ear and then Slade's voice came. "_Beast Boy_," he hissed, "_Act natural. Go back to the Tower with them. I will give you further instructions there."_

His mouth still gaping slightly open and one hand clamped over his ear from the slight pain of a static-filled earpiece Beast Boy finally spoke. "Didn't the hero's oath also say we have to help people when they're in need? FYI Terra _is_ in need." Doubled over with his hands resting on his knees the changeling panted slightly before straightening up staring blankly at his leader with an emotionless expression.

"That's fine but until we know what kind of trouble she's in there's nothing we can do."

"Says you." Beast Boy pushed his way passed Robin and hovered awkwardly between Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire. They were boxing him in. The changeling shook his head slightly. This was definitely not acting natural in the sense of everyday natural, but this would have been how he would react if this happened at the Tower. "Just because you grew up listening to a dude that told you not to get emotionally involved in crime fighting doesn't mean I have to work the same way."

Deep silence followed four sets of eyes boring into Beast Boy's head, but he completely ignored this. The thing he was worried about was pounding in his head once more. "_Apprentice, do not put yourself in a position of ejection from the Tower. That wouldn't be very good for Terra. Oh, look, she's coming around…"_ Sure enough there was a surprised sort of yelp that the shape-shifter could identify as Terra's. He paused and took a deep breath trying to calm himself down.

"_Never _talk about my- Bruce that way." Robin's hands were balled into fists but he said no more. Instead he simply walked past the group to the T-Car. As his footsteps echoed and then died away the other Titans took this opportunity to confront Beast Boy.

"Look, man I know it's tough. Be strong, BB, and don't lose your cool with Robin." Cyborg paused rubbing the back of his hand absentmindedly. "He's already kind of mentioned replacing you because you haven't been around much lately." The bionic teen lowered his voice slightly as he bent down to Beast Boy's level to whisper in his ear. "But there would be a vote. Three to one in your favor, man."

"Okay," the changeling responded voice finally steadying back to its normal state. "I'll be careful around Bird Boy…" Cyborg clapped him on the back as he turned to head to the T-Car after Robin.

"Yo! You better not be getting your fingerprints all over my windows!"

Giving a small smile at Cyborg's words of warning to Robin, Beast Boy let out a slight sigh. He was alone with two girls, one of which looked on the verge of tears and the other he knew wanted to kill him. "So…" The shape-shifter tried to break the dead silence. "You guys mad at me?"

"I am…" Starfire paused levitating into the air a few inches before finishing her sentence; she wasn't quite familiar with the phrase. "Not found."

"Um, you mean lost?" Beast Boy shook his head slightly as the alien girl floated away leaving Raven and him alone. Great, perfect circumstances for murder. The changeling let out a nervous sort of sigh before finally drawing his eyes to hers, which was all he could see of her face at the moment. "You're gonna kill me, huh?"

"No," the empath answered simply. "That would be too easy and not satisfying at all." Raven's voice was still empty, though Beast Boy could sense she was trying to hide some sort of emotion. "Where are they?"

"Where are who?"

"Don't play dumb, Beast Boy. You came here for Terra. Slade was here. _Where are they?"_ Yep, on the last line Raven's voice took on a hint of anger and her eyes briefly flashed red, but they flicked back to violet soon enough. It was more for effect then anything, and judging by Beast Boy's sudden recoiled posture it had worked.

"_Don't let her scare you, Beast Boy. Lie. Block your mind…"_

Of course it could have been because there was a madman whispering in his ear that he was almost wetting his pants. "Okay, okay," the shape-shifter let out a low sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. "A rock came through my window with a ransom note. It told me to come here alone at nine o'clock, but Slade never showed up. Or he did, but he wouldn't let me find him. He's screwing with my mind, Rae, that's all. I'm kinda mad about it…"

Raven raised an eyebrow at the changeling for his voice hadn't faltered in the least; she would have expected him to be reluctant about telling her this or at least show more emotion when talking about it. Apparently he trusted her more then she knew. But then again he could just as easily be lying.

A small strand of black energy rose out from the gem on Raven's forehead and the other end slithered forward in the air before planting itself upon Beast Boy's forehead. The shape-shifter raised and eyebrow before muttering, "Well that was very sneaky of you, Raven…" Through the mind link the empath only found thoughts of Terra, memories of Terra, and the deeper she got images of Slade. If she would have been able to dive deeper into Beast Boy's thoughts, though, she would have dug up what he was really doing…but that was currently hidden at the very back of his mind.

She pushed forward seeing flashes of the Doom Patrol and a young Beast Boy. Then a Garfield Logan she had never seen before. Blonde hair, blue eyes, tanned skin. This was Gar Logan, not Beast Boy. It was hidden so deep in his mind she wondered if he even remembered it. Raven made to go forward, but was stopped dead in her tracks, her soul self being forced out of Beast Boy's mind.

He hadn't broken the bond; what he had done was reverse the effect. Beast Boy was now seeing flashes of what was going on in Raven's brain. Flashes of Raven with the changeling blew by first, followed by clips of Terra as Slade's Apprentice and then he saw a brief flicker of Raven the day the world was supposed to end, how she raised all those people from stone, and a voice in her head, Raven's voice, had thought this during that time: _I think I just resurrected a traitor…_

Beast Boy was suddenly thrown from Raven's mind, the bond being ripped apart leaving a panting Beast Boy on the ground and a very angry empath. "You were in my mind," she hissed sharply. "No one should go in my mind…" Her eyes were flashing red, all four of them.

"Dude, I didn't _mean_ to end up in your demented mind! It just happened!" The shape-shifter clambered to his feet, a dull glare issuing from his eyes. "But it's a good thing I did. You hate Terra! You've always hated her!"

"That's not true!" Raven's eyes were flaring red once more; anger was showing itself once more. She sighed slightly before focusing her energy and her eyes flicked back to violet and there were only two of them now. "You might not know this but she was my friend, too. At one point I did trust her. I don't give out trust easily, and my trust is easy to break. When it's broken I don't let people back in, at least not unless they _earn_ it."

"She sacrificed herself for the city! Doesn't that _mean_ anything to you?" Beast Boy's temper was rising slowly, his face twisted into a fierce growl. "Terra saved us all Raven, just like you did."

"One act can't make up for what she did." Raven felt her own temper rising, but unlike the shape-shifter she kept it under control. "And I don't mean destroying the city. I mean what she did to you- and all of us. She betrayed us, Beast Boy. I don't know how you can forgive so easily."

"I guess that's what makes us different, Raven. I forgive, you forget." Beast Boy then walked away against the will of the angry part of him which wanted nothing more then to tell her off, maybe even show her what the Beast could really do, but he wouldn't do that to a friend. The changeling's footsteps slowed to a stop as he tilted his head to glance over his shoulder. "You coming?"

He ignored the voice in his head as Slade spoke to him, praising him. The shape-shifter bit his lower lip slightly as his master's voice flittered into his ears. _"Good, Apprentice. Keep them on your good side."_ But really Beast Boy just hated tension within the group and as Raven had said he forgave easily, even when it came to Raven herself.

"Yeah…In a while." The empath gave a dull sigh as Beast Boy exited the warehouse. Something was definitely wrong here and it wasn't just the rocky relationship Beast Boy was having on the rest of the Titans. "Wherever you are, Slade, you did a nice job blocking your hideout from my senses…" Raven stood there for a moment longer but turned at the sound of a beeping horn.

"Girl, you're holding up the ride!" She followed Cyborg's call without question but still she couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong.

B&P

A single blinding light filled the room aimed directly for a metal table where a girl lay completely motionless. Slowly her eyes fluttered open in protest of the white light and dull groan escaped her lips. Her wrists and ankles were so sore. Instinctively she made to reach up and brush some blonde hair from her face but found she couldn't; the only thing she could move was her head and even her neck felt sore, like a needle had been injected into her spine. "Okay, so this isn't my room…" Her head was throbbing and she couldn't remember what had happened just yet, but a voice from the shadows completely pulled Terra from her state of blind confusion.

"Terra, so good to see you again." That was Slade's voice, but where was he? It was so dark, so cold, and she couldn't see him. Actually her eyes hadn't exactly adjusted to the bright light above her and now mixing the darkness of the rest of the lair was making the room spin.

"Wish I could say the same for you," the geomancer hissed back trying to tap into her power supply. Terra waited for that familiar surge of energy to her fingers, but it never came. Blinking she closed her eyes and focused solely on bringing the roof down on Slade but still…nothing.

"Oh, about that uncontrollable power of yours…" This line seemed to hit a nerve in both Slade and Terra. The former had growled the last couple of words and the latter had taken a sharp inhalation of breath willing herself not to snap back at him; she was in no position to start insulting a supervillain now was she? Plus she had no snappy retort to this as it was true. "I decided to…take it off your hands."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Terra raised her head slightly to stare around the room, but still only the circle of light in a four foot radius around the table was visible, and she couldn't make out his form in the dark. Her head hit the metal again a little harder then she'd hoped but she ignored it. "Just because I haven't used them in a while doesn't mean I can still whip you…"

"I never said you couldn't beat me, Apprentice. I commend you on your performance back in the cave. Too bad it didn't work as I am…alive." Slade gave a slight sigh at this point remembering just how much he had given to be resurrected and get his body back. "In fact I was surprised you had it in you to murder Daddy…"

"Shut up," Terra hissed back forcing her eyes shut. "You were like my father but that doesn't make you a dad. Dads love you and care about you. You wouldn't have cared if I had _died_ that night as long as you got rid of the Titans." The geomancer inhaled sharply before adding, "You're the definition of 'daddy' that I always knew, Slade. Cruel, abusive, deceiving…"

"That's also an accurate definition of villain, Terra." The masked villain's singsong voice suddenly appeared; this was always the part he loved the most, torture, torment, playful banter, and when there was absolutely nothing his prey could do about it either. "Anyway, do you want to know what I did with your powers?"

"'What you did'? I could be wrong but how can _you_ do anything with _my _powers if they're in my body?" Terra paused, mind working slowly. "And whatever happened to Sebastian- er- that guy?"

"Who, Blood?" Slade murmured offhandedly. "That was no guy. That was a robot made to look like a villain the Teen Titans faced after your…incident. Cyborg especially liked him. Anyway- that was only to lead Beast Boy off track. With the help of that robot and some holograms he thought I'd resurrected the dead. Not that I needed to; Raven did that part for me…"

"Beast Boy," Terra muttered softly, head throbbing while a filmstrip of memories blew passed, each one containing the pair of them. Shaking her head slightly the geomancer turned her attention to the seemingly bodiless voice. "What did you do?"

That could have had two meanings one being what had he done to her or what had he done to Beast Boy. Slade interpreted it as the former, but then again that was only because he hadn't actually done anything to Beast Boy. "That robot absorbed your power from that massive outburst you had. The power is serving a new purpose. Energy from a meta-human is perfect fuel for a chronoton detonator, a real one."

"You're gonna stop time forever?" Terra muttered blankly. "Doesn't that mean _you'll _be frozen in time, too?"

"Yes and no. I'm planning on using it as a bargaining chip." Slade gave a dull chuckle. "If the Titans give themselves up I won't blow it. If they refuse I'll blow the detonator and time is stopped forever, and they lose. Granted, I lose too and you know how I hate to lose…But it's a small price to pay."

"That's all very interesting but I was asking what you did to Beast Boy…" The geomancer struggled against her bonds with little to no effort knowing that without her power it would do no good.

"I did nothing. You did all my work for me again, Terra." Slade's voice was resounding in her head now and she stopped her fussing with the bonds to stare into the darkness again. "You were my bargaining chip for Beast Boy. I already had you so all I needed to do was send the changeling a note. I nearly blew your head up with a gun before he agreed…"

"To what?" Terra's voice was barely a whisper as she choked out the words; she had a vague idea of what it might be.

"To become my third Apprentice. Granted, I only need him for one mission…"

That was enough. Terra let out a strangled cry of anger mixed with pain before biting her lower lip to stop herself from letting Slade see the satisfaction of breaking her down again. She didn't want anyone to have to go through what she went through and especially not Beast Boy…not the boy she cared so much about. "You…"

"He agreed to infiltrate the Tower and retrieve a computer chip of Cyborg's. With that chip I can finish what I started with you, my dear Apprentice."

"Wh-what?" Terra forced her voice to remain steady as she spoke, eyes jammed shut.

"The computer chip is meant for his precious T-Car, to make it live and thrive like he does." Slade's voice was casual, and to be honest this part seemed like an offhand addition to the 'plan'. "Of course along with personality the car will obey all orders. _That_ is why I am getting that computer chip, to help me finally bend you to my every will. And Terra?"

"What?" She shot back the shock of it all merely coming out as snappy remarks.

"After the Titans surrender- or not- I will have you, my _favorite_ Apprentice dispose of my third Apprentice. It should be..." He paused and stepped forward out of the shadows for the first time during the entire conversation, standing right behind her with his arms clasped behind his back. Slade stopped now speaking into a disk with the Slade insignia etched onto it. Terra listened intently knowing he was relaying messages to Beast Boy.

"Apprentice, do not put yourself in a position of ejection from the Tower. That wouldn't be very good for Terra. Oh, look, she's coming around…" At this point the geomancer let out another strangled yelp, trying to tell Beast Boy not to go through with any of it- but it came out as nothing more then an incomprehensible yell. The villain snapped the communicator shut to stare down at Terra, eye glimmering. "It should be quite the show, Apprentice…"

He vanished back into the shadows and even the light above her dimmed to black leaving Terra alone to mingle with her thoughts, which really was more torture then any physical pain Slade could inflict on her. The geomancer thought- no knew- that if Beast Boy returned with that chip she would die, because there was no way she could kill the boy she loved and still feel fine afterwards. If Beast Boy died, she died. Slade would lose all three Apprentices in one day but then again he really didn't care about any of them anyway…

B&P

"Oh yeah! I'm kicking your butt Tin Man!"

"I got time."

"Dude, there's less then ten feet of track left. Face it, you lose I win end of story."

"I still got the nitro."

"…The ni-" Beast Boy's voices faded as Cyborg's hovercraft zoomed passed his own leaving it in the dust. "-tro."

"Boo-yah! Who's the man? Cy's the man. Ya'll heard it here first, the all-time champ is Cyborg!" The Titans were all gathered within the main room of the Tower, Beast Boy and Cyborg on the couch with game controllers in hand, Cyborg's gripped tightly in victory and Beast Boy's hanging at his side in defeat. Robin was staring out the window examining the city. Everything seemed fine but then…it felt wrong somehow. Raven sat lightly on the couch as far away from the two videogamers as possible with a book in hand and Starfire was yet again in the kitchen cooking some Tamaranian dish of joy.

"Was there even a chance that Beast Boy was going to win _and_ beat your high-score?" Raven's voice hovered over the book's cover and hung in the air for a long matter of seconds before anyone answered.

"Let's put it this way. There's a better chance of Mumbo and Slade teaming up then Beast Boy doing both of those in one round." The Boy Wonder's voice was completely calm, but his face was twisted into a dull smirk. Yeah, with Beast Boy back there was more teasing; the Tower finally felt complete.

"I beat him once…" Beast Boy argued dully now sitting with his feet propped up on the table and hands folded behind his head as Cyborg ticked through the new features he had just unlocked including a new track.

"Keyword there being once," Raven supplied dully not looking up from her book.

"Friends, it is nice to have us all together enjoying a night of peace and tranquility." The Tamaranian in the kitchen peered over the stove to grin widely at the four of them at which Robin nearly melted away from the window and plopped down on the couch on the opposite side of Cyborg.

"All right little man. Rematch, here now, new track. That way I don't have any advantage. What do you say?" Cyborg's human eye was glinting with eagerness and Beast Boy's eyes reflected the excitement. A new track? He could win!

"You're on, Cy!"

"Hold up," Robin intervened snatched the controller from Beast Boy and glaring at the television screen. "It's _my_ turn."

"But Rob, I was just hitting my stride with BB," Cyborg whined before coming to a conclusion. "We'll, guess I'll just have to open a can of whoop on you now, too."

"Awe, dudes. No fair." Beast Boy slumped back in his seat and glanced around him; all were occupied except him. As expected, Slade's voice echoed in his head.

"_Strike now, Apprentice, and return to me."_

"Uh, guys. I'm gonna go…take a bath! Yeah…" The shape-shifter left unnoticed by the boys who by now were engaged in another one on one battle, but both Starfire and Raven looked up from their activities.

"Friend, you will not taste my dish of joy? I made it for you especially!" Starfire's face seemed to fall and the light in the room almost died with her smile.

"After. I promise, Star." Beast Boy growled slightly; the first time in over a week he and the Titans had been having a good time and now Slade had to come ruin it.

"I will honor your promise, Beast Boy."

"Starfire, please. He needs to bathe or else the Tower will smell like wet dog for the next month," Raven deadpanned with a smirk upon her face, though it was completely hidden from view by her book. Seemingly satisfied with this answer Starfire went back to her cooking and let Beast Boy retreat to the hallway leading to the bathroom…

….and the Titans' rooms. But Beast Boy wasn't heading for his own room; he was heading into uncharted territory and if he got caught he was road kill. He was heading for a region known only for its technology and wilderness…He was heading for Cyborg's room.


	8. Chapter 8: Chess Board

**Okay. Chapter Eight. Here comes the twist you've all been waiting for...Er, if you want to call it a twist. **

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Oh man. This was like suicide. He was risking his life for a computer chip and worse it was for his worst enemy. Cyborg was going to kill him. He was going to come looking for his waxing attachment and find a certain green changeling in his room, touching his stuff, and stealing a prototype computer chip. This was worse then suicide- it was setting yourself up for murder by a bionic teenager who was three times your size.

Beast Boy crept along the hallway in the form of a cat padding along slowly and quietly; at the rate he was going Cyborg would be coming to recharge before he even reached the door. Slade seemed to have the same thought. _"Beast Boy- just get the chip. You have a curfew and if you're not here in twenty minutes…"_

"Okay! Talk about strict…" Reverting back to human for the shape-shifter jogged his way to Cyborg's room pausing before the doors slid open before him, eyes closed and a hand running through his hair. "Talk about being a double agent. Just like in that one videogame I played…" Beast Boy jumped slightly when the door talked to him in a voice much like Cyborg's.

"State your name and business, human. Hold up, BB what are you doing?"

"Oh- I uh left my handheld in there." He gestured to the room and put on a toothy grin. "I gotta keep the high-score, y'know…"

"Right. Go ahead but don't break anything or Cy'll break you. Have a nice day." The door slid open with a dull creak and Beast slipped through, frozen on the spot for a full minute as his gaze wandered about the darkened room. Where was the chip? "Uh- This is Beast Boy calling Slade. Any idea where the chip is? I can't see it…" The changeling held his hand to his ear as he spoke, not sure if his message even got transmitted.

"…_Near the wall you see Cyborg's attachments, right?"_

"Waxer, toothbrush, flashlight, playb- Okay, I dunno why he has that up there, but yeah." Beast Boy took steady steps forward, head cocked slightly to one side as he stared at the wall of Cyborg's attachments. Planted to the tack board with…tacks was a picture of the team, Cyborg supporting the weight of all four of the other Titans, Beast Boy on all fours, Starfire with her arms wrapped around the half robot's neck, Raven sitting on one shoulder and Robin halfway hanging off, sporting a victory sign.

Sighing slightly the shape-shifter tore his eyes away from the photograph now staring at the wall. "Slade? You gonna give me instructions or?" He trailed off slightly finding a small bulge in the Polaroid. Raising an eyebrow slightly Beast Boy removed two of four tacks and a small blue computer chip fell into his palm. With a grim smirk the green teenager replaced the computer chip with a Scrabble chip; at least that way Cyborg might not notice it was gone…unless he went to actually work on the T-Car.

Pocketing the computer chip Beast Boy ran a hand over the surface of the group photo offering a pained sort of sigh; he didn't have much time but in that picture they had all been so happy. Now Beast Boy was a double agent and what little happiness he had just had in the main room vanished as he did this deed. Making deals with the devil was just not good. Period. The changeling backed up slowly, eyes still staring at the picture.

At least he hadn't gotten caught; that was definitely a good thing. The shape-shifter turned to exit the room and ran right into something solid which turned out to be "Cyborg…"

"What d'you think you're gonna do?"

"Uh…" The tone in Cyborg's voice was different somehow, not angry like he had seen before but just questioning or curious. Beast Boy shrugged one shoulder slightly glad that the bionic teen wasn't about to bite his head off.

"You were trying to hack into Cyborg's game plan, huh? Sorry to disappoint you, BB, but that would be in _my_ systems. Y'know the ones in my _head_?" Cyborg gave a dull chuckle before forcing the changeling out of his room with one hand, covering a yawn with the other. "Great to have you back to your old self and everything Beast Boy, but it's late. You better get some sleep, too, man. Robin says we got training bright and early."

Beast Boy groaned outwardly, but in his mind he was wondering if he'd even be here tomorrow morning- or if the others would be either. _"Ten o'clock, Beast Boy…"_ the voice vibrated in his mind and the changeling jammed his eyes shut in disgust, tongue sticking out of his mouth.

"Slave driver," the green Titan murmured dully earning himself a laugh from Cyborg. Beast Boy looked up, head tilted slightly to one side. Why was it that he made people laugh at him when he had no idea what was going on?

"I think Robin's just kinda shaken up about the whole 'Slade's back' thing." The bionic teen yawned widely before flashing a smile. "You. Me. Videogames. Tomorrow after training. Be there."

"I…" the shape-shifter inhaled deeply, eyes averted from his friend once more. "Can't. I got stuff to do." Beast Boy turned and headed down the hall, kicking the floor beneath him irritably. This was inner torture, but worse torture would be seeing Terra after Slade…had his way with her. The green teenager had turned the corner of the hall before Cyborg had blinked leaving the cybernetic teen talking to no one.

"Aight, BB. Some other…time…"

The shape-shifter skidded to a stop upon reaching the main room. Everyone had gone to bed, but those security cameras Cyborg installed would still be working. Biting the inside of his cheek slightly, Beast Boy leaned tightly into the wall in human form inwardly counting the seconds tick by; if the clock on the DVD player was right, he had a total of six and a half minutes to get back to Slade's lair before the deadline. "Now or never, do or die." Gritting his teeth the changeling threw himself on the floor morphing into an armadillo and rolling across the carpet in a ball. Upon reaching the window he shifted into a hawk and out into the sky, steadily vanishing in the wind.

B&P

Despite the fact that she was strapped to a cold metal table in a darkened room, the man bent on destroying her life lurking in the shadows somewhere, Terra had drifted off to sleep. Having her usual eight hours interrupted by that oddly connected dream with Beast Boy had been distracting, and being knocked out from energy drainage wasn't exactly getting rest. So as the geomancer lay there in Slade's lair, breath coming out in a white wisp because of the temperature, she dreamt…

The dream was much different then her usual nightmares because in her waking hours now, she was living her worst nightmare. This dream was actually slightly calming to Terra, though she was strangely alone on a rocky ledge overlooking Jump City. Titans Tower was there, all of the buildings. But behind her she had the strange sensation of knowing she was being watched, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling slightly. Terra was jolted forcefully out of the dream by that voice, that bone-chilling voice that had been haunting her dreams for months.

"Now, Terra, asleep on the job?"

There was an incoherent mutter before the blonde coughed slightly, adjusting to the sudden burst of light that engulfed the room. "What are you talking about? I don't see how lying on a table is working."

"Well, now looks like your job here is done, Terra. The messenger has returned just as planned." Sure enough, the source of the blinding light that stung Terra's eyes was a door being flung open. Almost as soon as the room had been illuminated, though, a blanket of darkness covered it as Beast Boy entered the lair, footsteps echoing against the floor. The circumstances were bad, but no matter how much Terra wanted Beast Boy to leave she couldn't help but want him there with her, to save her, comfort there just as he always had. But she knew that wasn't possible, she knew what Slade's plan was. Beast Boy didn't. What would come of the third Apprentice now? If Slade wanted to insert a computer chip into Terra's brain he'd need quiet and a green changeling would no doubt be somewhat of a distraction.

Terra raised her head off the table, trying to see passed Slade to Beast Boy but couldn't. The only part of him she could make out was a pair of purple Velcro shoes. She opened her mouth to speak but found it dry, a large lump swollen in her throat. She couldn't speak to him now. It was all her fault he was doing this, all her fault that he was feeling such pain. "You have done well my Apprentice," Slade praised in a dull voice, examining the blue computer chip Beast Boy was holding in his gloved hand. "Now hand it over."

"I don't think so, Slade," the green Titan replied shortly, jerking his arm out of the masked villain's reach. "I dunno what you want this chip for, but I know you want it. I'll give it to you under one condition. You give me Terra and I give you the chip. Deal?" Beast Boy had a smug sort of smirk plastered on his face, eyes narrowed as he glared at Slade. "We all know how you hate to lose."

"Child, giving up my second Apprentice wouldn't gain me anything," Slade responded with a shake of his head. "You see that chip is for Terra. Without her it is of no use for me…Unless…" Terra's eyes widened at the mere tone of Slade's voice almost reading his thoughts as the masked villain stepped closer to Beast Boy, now cupping the shape-shifter's chin in his hand. "If you were to trade a newer model in for version 2.0 I think we could make an exception…"

He pulled back with a sharp intake of breath, striking Slade's arm with his free hand and staring him down as he rubbed his chin. "What d'you mean?" Beast Boy massaged his jaw as if it had been contaminated by some kind of evil villain genes, his eyes lighting up as understanding dawned on him. "Wait, you want _me _instead of Terra? Why?"

Slade shrugged one shoulder, casting a glance behind him at Terra who finally seemed to find her voice but was cut off by her former master. "You see, Beast Boy, it doesn't matter to me who I bend to my will as long as I have a pawn for my chessboard. I am the King, my Apprentices are my pawns. I think that maybe you might just be the one that evolves past that, perhaps to the role of the Queen, the most powerful piece on the entire board."

"Beast Boy no," came the choked response of Terra, who from what Beast Boy could gather from her strangled outcry was crying. "Don't. Making deals with Slade doesn't exactly work out. I would know." The changeling's expression softened from hardened glower at Slade to a soft sort of compassionate gaze as he held up the computer chip, looking from it to Slade and back again.

"Time is of the essence, Beast Boy," Slade murmured, manic eye wide. "If you do not make a choice I will be forced to fight you for the chip and then you will both suffer. We wouldn't want that would we?" The villain seemed to be clearly enjoying this internal struggle of Beast Boy's. On one hand he wanted Terra to be happy and she was telling him to leave her. On the other hand he wanted Terra alive and not being controlled, not that he was too keen on the idea of basically being Slade's puppet…but it seemed better then watching Terra suffer.

"Terra you've been through so much stuff in your life already. Don't you think maybe it'd be better if you could just get out of here?" Beast Boy was somewhat irritated at having to talk through a human barrier to his best friend, but that didn't make his soft compassionate voice waver in the least. His eyes were swimming with mixed emotions, apprehension, fear, but most obviously affection. "Don't you think it'd be easier for me not to have to watch you suffer?"

"No, Beast Boy, because that means I have to watch _you _suffer." Terra's voice was steadier now, though she was hiccupping slightly. "If anyone here deserves it it's me. Look at what I've made you into!"

"You made me into the kid that'll do anything for the person he loves." Beast Boy stepped forward, raising the arm with the chip in it over his head. "Before you go, Terra, know this. I love you too, always have, and always will."

"How touching. Now the chip, Beast Boy." Slade had let them have there moment, only because he knew in the end the emotional bond was going to tear at least one of them apart from the inside out. By the looks of it Terra was the lucky one that got to leave and get her heart ripped out at the same time.

"No. Not until you let Terra go." The shape-shifter paused, arms crossed defiantly and eyebrows raised in expectation. "You never were one to go back on deals, Slade. I wouldn't want you to screw up your entire reputation because of little old me."

"Yes, of course." Slade sauntered his way over to the table Terra was strapped to and pressed a button, releasing her from her bonds. The geomancer, though, seemed frozen in shock or fear, eyes wide and mouth formed into a thin line. "It seems your words have left quite a mark, Apprentice."

Beast Boy blinked slightly, biting his lower lip as he walked up behind Slade, eyes slightly averted from Terra's. "Um, Terra? Did I say something…wrong?"

"No..." She pulled herself roughly to a seated position, massaging her left arm with her right hand staring blankly at Beast Boy almost like that day at Murakami School. "You said what I've been waiting to hear for my entire life, Beast Boy…" Whatever it was, shock, amazement, it kept her from expressing her true emotions. If she'd had her way she would have been sobbing hysterically by now, and she would have been attached to Beast Boy's hip. But as it was, Slade was staring down at her, eye boring into hers as she hastily brushed her bangs from her face. "Can I…say goodbye?" She murmured softly, now staring determinedly at the floor.

"I don't really see a purpose in that, Terra. He won't remember any of this within the hour anyway." The masked villain blocked her path as she stood, hands balled into fists at her side and anger coursing through her veins. "Oh, mind that temper, Terra. Remember, I still have that power source of yours."

Her arms dropped limply to her sides once she realized her familiar golden glow wouldn't come back to her anytime soon. "I hate you," Terra hissed through gritted teeth, flinging herself at Slade but blinking as he disappeared. She landed sprawled out on the ground right in front of Beast Boy who was looking around wildly. "Where did he-" Her voice trailed off as Slade appeared behind her, kicking her square in the ribs and sending her skidding a few feet away in the direction of the door.

"Apprentice," Slade murmured, eye now glancing around for Beast Boy. "Show our guest out. No funny business, either. I stuck to my end of the deal. You better keep yours, too." The shape-shifter merely nodded stepping forward microchip still in hand, but Slade caught him around the wrist and twisted it behind his back, earning a sickening cracking noise from the bones in Beast Boy's wrist and a yelp from the shape-shifter himself. The masked man yanked the computer chip from the changeling's gloved hand and then flung him across the room where he staggered slightly before regaining his footing and glaring back at Slade. "We wouldn't want you running off with that chip, would we?"

Beast Boy's glare held steady as he turned, gaze softening as he approached Terra who was still slumped on the ground on her knees. The shape-shifter bent down on the prospect of yanking her up, but found his hand interlaced in one of hers as he placed a firm grip around her waist leading her toward the door. "It'll be okay," he whispered as they steadily got closer to the door, their footsteps in sync as they walked.

"No, Beast Boy. You…"

"Shh. We're having a moment here. Don't ruin it." That sentence faded off as the shape-shifter leaned forward pressing his lips against hers after all these months of waiting, wondering what it would be like. His eyes closed as he pulled her body closer to his, still trying to make it look like he was forcefully escorting her to the door. Apparently it was working to a point; it seemed Terra's legs had given out in surprise, though she returned the kiss with as much passion as he had, given the circumstances.

When Beast Boy finally pulled away his eyes fluttered open, a brilliant glimmer in them. Terra looked up at him, her own eyes swimming with tears. They were tears of joy mixed with sadness because after all these months she and Beast Boy had finally shared their first kiss and now they were being forcefully ripped apart. Literally.

The shape-shifter broke the bond and pushed her out the door, his expression hiding the longing feeling with a lopsided sort of half-grin. Terra stared back at him, mouth slightly open as he closed the door, but she jammed her foot in the crack to hold it open. "Beast Boy," she paused, inhaling deeply, "I'll come back for you. I promise."

"Promises…Not like mine I hope." With that the door was slammed shut leaving the geomancer staring blankly at the side of a large gorge. Blinking Terra swerved around, mouth gaping slightly open as she took in the horizon. It was the same scenery from her dream earlier. Turning around again she paused, slightly confused. The door was completely concealed in a wall of rock, which normally wouldn't have been a problem. Then again, normally Terra's powers weren't being used to power up a chronoton detonator…

"I gotta get to Titans Tower," Terra murmured to herself, groaning as she looked down. She was in the quarry, the place where she had first met the Titans. Now back then she had merely used her mountain moving abilities to get from the valley to the top of the gorge, but now she was stuck hoofing it. Sighing slightly she looked out at the narrow ledge separating her side from the piece of ground that would lead her to the Titans. "I better get moving…Damn it I knew I should've just taken that communicator when I had the chance…"

B&P

"Now, now Beast Boy. No showing affection to the enemy. That's rule number one." When Beast Boy turned around his face slammed right into Slade's fist, and he fell backwards onto the ground, leaning against the door. The shape-shifter rotated his jaw slightly, cracking it back into place as he tasted the metallic blood in his mouth. Emerald eyes widened as a roundhouse kick was aimed for his chest, but he morphed into a lemur and darted away. Resuming human form back where the metal table rested, Beast Boy shot a cold glare towards Slade.

"What the heck was THAT for? I did what you told me to do!"

"Yes," Slade suddenly disappeared only to reform behind him. Dropping down he swung his leg out and caught Beast Boy at the ankles, sending him to the ground once more. The shape-shifter shook his head slightly before shifting into a tiger and rolling out of the way of Slade's oncoming punch. "But I'm afraid I have no anesthetics. Instead I'll have to knock you out myself unless you'd like to be awake during the procedure."

Beast Boy lunged for Slade, but he teleported away causing the green feline to slam into the table. In human form the changeling stood shakily managing to get out the words "What procedure?"

Slade gave a slight chuckle as he materialized in front of Beast Boy, clamping the shape-shifter's arms behind his back and watching as his knees buckled. Slade stood over his Apprentice, a manic gleam in his eye as he bent down to whisper into Beast Boy's ear. "You didn't expect me to just magically be able to get that chip in you did you? Oh no, child. A small incision on the forehead and it'll all be done with. But that's only the beginning, Beast Boy…" A deep silence followed and Slade's voice got softer so Beast Boy had to lean back to hear him. "You, Apprentice, are the Queen of the chessboard. You will take out the enemy pawns one by one starting with powerless Terra."

"No!" The changeling nearly exploded with pent of rage and energy as he flung his arms overhead, taking on a new form. The beast had returned, muscular and covered in fur, large skull pointed upward as he let out a fierce howl. The beast dropped down to all fours padding to where Slade lay after being thrown off of Beast Boy, a few feet away.

"Oh, new trick," Slade mumbled watching as the green beast pounced towards him, but the masked villain merely rolled out of the way watching as Beast Boy crashed head first into a control panel. "No matter. The bigger they are the harder they fall." He withdrew a bo-staff and leapt forward as the shape-shifter reared back on his hind legs, eyes wide with rage. Slade twirled the staff in a complicated pattern, catching the beast's attention before bringing it down and swinging it outward, catching the creature's legs and sending him to the floor again.

Now on all fours Beast Boy gave a snarl, leaping forward and pinning Slade to the floor, a paw on either shoulder and his back paws holding his lower body still. There was a fierce growl as he raised one paw, tearing into the armor on Slade's chest but hitting nothing but more metal. Angry, Beast Boy raised his paw high over his head and swiped at Slade's unguarded face a dull clatter signifying the mask being torn clear off. He clawed furiously at the face of the man he hated so much, the one that had caused him and Terra, Robin, Raven, all the Titans so much pain and suffering. A mechanical sort of voice answered him, though. "Now, Apprentice, you didn't think I was doing all that teleporting myself, did you?"

It had been a robot programmed with Xenothium allowing it to teleport from place to place; it hadn't even been the real Slade. The beast pulled itself off of the robotic replica of Slade and reared back on its hind legs, sniffing the air for the scent of the real Slade. Just then a dart sank itself into Beast Boy's back, and the beast fell forward, flat onto its stomach. His eyelids were dropping, threatening to close at any moment, but the sound of oncoming footsteps kept him in the present. He raised his eyes to come face to face with Slade, the real Slade, who was holding a tranquilizer gun. "You see Apprentice, you make a deal with Slade you keep it."

Shirking back to human form Beast Boy let out a soft moan of pain before his eyes fell closed his breathing ragged and uneven. Slade heaved the changeling over his shoulder before strapping him to the same table Terra had been on earlier. "If only I could harness that bestial form when you and Terra face off…" Slade trailed off dully before vanishing into the shadows leaving Beast Boy alone in the darkness.

B&P

What seemed like days later Terra leapt from the boat that had carried here across the bay onto the island Titans Tower was located on completely forgetting to pay off the guy who had driven her there. "Oh, sorry! Put it on the Titans' tab, okay?" The geomancer sprinted to the front door and pounded on the door without hesitation, eyes focused behind her on the quarry. She didn't even realize when Robin opened the door and she ended up pounding on his face.

"Terra? Terra. TERRA!"

She turned around quickly to come face to face with the Boy Wonder and noticed a large red bulge on his face. Giving a sort of forced grin Terra waved her greetings before launching into an explanation of where Beast Boy was. "Slade! He's back and he's got Beast Boy!"

The was a stony silence in which Terra was almost certain Robin was going to drag her butt back to jail but he merely looked over his shoulder into he bustling Tower. "Titans!" He called loudly, whipping out his communicator to try and track Beast Boy, "GO!"


	9. Chapter 9:Taking the Pawn

**Well...Here you go. Not much else to say...Read on. **

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Silence filled the full T-Car as it barreled onward, over the bay. Cyborg's focus was mainly on the absence of his green friend, so he paid no attention to the fact that he was flying the car over the city. His elbow was propped against the window ledge, chin on his upturned palm as he steered with one hand, his bionic eye focused on the rear-view mirror where the three girls sat. "Tell me if I'm getting' this right," the titanium Titan mumbled for the sake of breaking the silence. "Slade came back. He used a robot of Brother Blood to pose as the headmaster for Murakami School and then had the robot suck your power source dry. Your powers are being used to fuel a chronoton detonator. He kidnapped you and wanted to use my computer chip to control you but BB got wind of it and came down to save you. Then he made a deal with Slade about Apprenticeship for your life…and he chose to be implanted with the chip to save you?"

Terra was leaning her forehead against the cool window of the T-Car, trying to soothe her throbbing head. Sighing slightly she nodded. "Well, yeah. But actually Slade threw a ransom note through Beast Boy's window and that's why he came after me."

"Told you it was an inanimate object," Raven murmured from the other window seat where she, like everyone else in the car, was staring blankly at Terra.

"Yeah, so you were right," Robin replied dully now examining his fingernails. "So basically Beast Boy's gonna be trying to kill us when we get there?"

"Um, I think Slade wants him to kill me but he just wants to try and get you guys to give up." Terra's eyes were closed and she was barely paying any attention to the conversation; her thoughts were elsewhere mainly on that kiss she and Beast Boy had shared. Now he was probably implanted with a microchip and he was going to try to kill her and to top it off she had no powers.

"Oh, friend Beast Boy will not harm you, Terra. I will not let him." Starfire was sandwiched between Raven and Terra and her mouth was formed into a very thin line. "I also think the Slade should realize that we do not give up easily."

"Remember, ya'll, he's got a chronoton detonator. That's gonna be his bargaining chip to get us to surrender." Cyborg maneuvered the T-Car in midair a frown set on his face. "Any ideas on how we can get at that thing without Slade noticing?"

"Slade's not going to be paying attention to the detonator while we infiltrate the lair," Robin pointed out while drumming his fingers against the armrest eyebrows furrowed, his thoughts pouring out of his mouth. "He's going to be preoccupied with a team of teenage superheroes. He's going to be paying attention to us and bargaining about the stupid detonator."

"Which means he won't be watching Beast Boy's every move. He can't possibly expect us to just surrender. He'll have to be prepared for some kind of confrontation." Raven leaned forward staring into the masked eyes of the Boy Wonder expectantly, waiting for him to assess this information and somehow come up with some brilliant plan. "Well?"

"Well what? I don't know everything you know!" Robin leaned back in his seat, arms crossed as he pouted about not having a plan. "Ask Cyborg. He's pretty good with making tactics when it comes to Super Ninja Fury. Maybe he can use that skill in the real world, too."

"Man, that game helps me with my hand-eye coordination!" The bionic teen mumbled as he swerved the T-Car in the air, as if trying to stay in one lane. "And anyway, there's no way of knowing exactly how Slade's lair is gonna be set up. I need to know my playing field before I can make up a battle strategy."

Again, all eyes in the car drifted to Terra, who unconsciously was tracing a heart on the window with her finger. Her eyes still closed the geomancer picked up on the sudden break in the previous conversation and her eyes snapped open, head tilted slightly to one side. "Don't look at me. It was way too dark in there for me to see anything even when Beast Boy escorted me out. I was distracted anyway. I…just woke up after all." She coughed slightly before directing her attention back to the window, not feeling up to telling the other Titans of her and Beast Boy's little venture if you wanted to call it that.

"Beast Boy escorted you out? Little man decides to become a gentleman when he's in the clutches of a madman. That's BB all right." Cyborg let out a slight snort before shaking his head slowly.

"I do not think Beast Boy would just let Terra leave," Starfire mused seemingly out of nowhere, a hand tapping her chin knowingly. "The look he has in his eyes when talking of you, Terra, is very similar to the one Cyborg gets when talking to the T-Car…"

"Or the one you get when you talk about a certain Boy Blunder," Raven snickered slightly watching as Robin wheeled around, eyes wide behind his mask.

"What are you saying?" The Titans leader forced out, eyes nearly popping out from their hidden spot. "Just because Cyborg gets a glazed look in his non-cybernetic eye when he's waxing the T-Car I don't see what this has to do with Beast Boy and Terra."

Raven gave a long sigh before flicking the back of Robin's head with a finger. "You wouldn't, Robin. Most boys don't understand it. It takes time for them to mature to a point and get enough nerve to express their feelings." The empath took a breath, letting these words sink in and exchanging a wink for a glare with Cyborg from the rear-view mirror. "Cyborg knows the feeling because yes, he does love his precious T-Car. He even talks to it sometimes. If you remember the time it got stolen, I had to help him hijack another vehicle to get it back. Beast Boy's look, though not exactly as blank as Cyborg's is more intimate. Ever notice how I always left the room whenever he started talking about Terra?"

"I thought that was just because you didn't like her, Rae," Robin cut in with a slight smirk on his face, now staring out the windshield and trying to look innocent, though a devious sort of expression was still visible on his face.

"There's that," Raven muttered before shaking her head slightly. "No, it's because the strong emotion behind his voice was throwing my powers off. Normally other people's emotions don't affect me but something that strong does."

"So I am correct in saying Beast Boy has the crush on Terra?" Starfire murmured with wide eyes, gaze wandering to Terra who was wearing a disbelieving sort of giddy smile.

"No, Star. What Raven's trying to say is that the little midget's got the love bug." The bionic teen rolled down the window as the T-Car passed into the quarry, bionic eye wandering to the Tamaranian.

"But why can he not simply turn into something bigger and get rid of the insect which ails him?"

"Starfire," Robin said softly shooting a quick glare to Cyborg before continuing. "What metal man's trying to say is Beast Boy and Terra, uh, well Beast Boy l- er- What I meant to say is Beast Boy and Terra are like…"

"Like what?" Terra muttered with a raised eyebrow, eager to hear what the famous Boy Wonder was about to compare the two of them to. "Like you and Batg-"

"NO. No," Robin cut her off his voice considerably loud as he gave a nervous sort of chuckle. "What I was trying to say, Star, is Beast Boy l…lo-, um. He love, loves her. There I said it!" The Boy Wonder was slightly red-faced as he leaned back against his seat, arms crossed over his chest and staring blankly out the window.

"Oh, so they are like the Romeo and Juliet?"

"More like the beauty and the beast if you ask me," Cyborg replied with a heavy sigh. "But yeah, you got the picture."

"And has he told you the secret yet?" Starfire's voice had become considerably hushed as she spoke to Terra with a hand blocking the boys from their conversation.

"Mmm-hmm." The alien girl's eyes widened at Terra as she spoke. "He told me he loved me."

"Oh not _that_ secret. I mean the secret identity." The geomancer looked at Starfire quizzically, shaking her head slightly as Raven burst into the conversation, smirk plastered on her face.

"It's Garfield."

"…Garfield?" Terra repeated with a blank stare earning nods from both girls. "I think I prefer the alias." The geomancer gave a short laugh before realizing she was laughing at the person she cared about the most who was now in evil's clutches. Biting the inside of her cheek she leaned her forehead back on the window, blue eyes scanning the rock wall they were passing. Silence enveloped the car once more, uneasy and awkward.

"Robin?"

"Yeah, Star?"

"Would you be upset to know that I have the crush on you?"

"…"

As entertaining as the conversation had turned, Terra's eyes became wide as she noticed the definite spot that Beast Boy had thrown her out of the lair. "There!" She yelped pointing at a break in the wall where the door was concealed. "Beast Boy's there!"

"All right ya'll. We're goin' in." The T-Car swooped low allowing five teenagers to pile out, though Cyborg remained firmly buckled into the driver's seat. "I'm gonna take my baby up to the top. I'll meet you guys in there. Save some Slade for me, eh?"

"Can't you just leave it with the valet Cyborg?" Raven deadpanned blankly from her spot on the rock ledge, hood drawn and cloak billowing in the wind that had just picked up. The three Titans and Terra stood their, hair and Robin's cape whipping in the wind as Cyborg hovered off to hide his baby in a safe place.

"I fear we are too late. Beast Boy is unharmed?" Starfire murmured in the general direction of Raven who was wincing slightly, sensing a horde of different emotions from her teammates at once. She paused trying to sort Beast Boy's out from the crowd but frowned lightly.

"I can't get a lock on his thought patterns. I think he's asleep…"

"That means Slade's putting that computer chip in him!" Terra cried, eyes narrowing, seeming slightly darker then usual. The gleam in her irises had vanished to replaced with something else: fire. The anger she felt towards Slade was welling up inside her and this just made it ten times worse. Idly the geomancer cast a glance at Robin who was crouched down at the base of the rock.

He straightened up before turning to his team without a word. He raised his hand to indicate for them all to stop their talking and listen- or watch- as he swerved swiftly around to land a kick on the slab of rock that was the door to the lair. An exploding disk had been planted there by the Boy Wonder, and as he made contact with it, the rock blew apart leaving a vacant hole into the headquarters of Slade and company. "Titans!" Robin called looking over his shoulder as he motioned with his hand for the team to follow now running towards the opening whipping out his bo-staff as he went. "GO!"

The lighting in the place was worse then Terra remembered. She watched as Starfire and Raven zoomed passed her landing on either side of Robin as they hovered awkwardly at the edge of the strip of light the break in the rock had made squinting into the abyss that was the rest of Slade's lair. There were a few whirring and beeping noises from machines that gave away the position of the chronoton detonator as well as what might have been a ventilator by the noises it was making. "Robin? Where is Slade?" Starfire peered into the darkness still unable to process just what was out there.

"I don't…" The Boy Wonder paused whipping around as someone- or something- blocked the light streaming in from the outside. By the large silhouette Robin's tensed posture relaxed slightly thinking it was only Cyborg. "Cyborg. Can you trace Beast Boy's genetic code?" Deep breathing answered him making him step forward cautiously assuming that their half-robot friend had been ambushed on the way over here. "Cyborg?"

"That's not Cyborg it's-"

"Beast…Boy?" Terra cut Raven off mid-sentence. From her position closest to where the door had once been, the geomancer had made out the green furred form to be some new animal morph of Beast Boy's but it seemed more animalistic then anytime she had seen the green changeling transform. All of his forms were animal-like, but this one seemed like the beast was taking over his body. "Beast Boy…"

"Terra," Robin cautioned taking a small step forward and flinching as the beast fell onto its front paws massive skull raised in the air and sniffing at it, pupil-less eyes wide with a manic gleam in them. He stalked forward, Terra frozen with fear or some other emotion…sorrow for Beast Boy, what he had become. "Back away slowly, Terra. He's not himself."

"He's still Beast Boy," the geomancer argued bluntly, extending a shaking hand towards the shape-shifter's beast form as he padded closer. The creature stopped once he was inches from brushing Terra's hand, head tilted to the side in question. She extended her fingers, brushing against the fur atop his head for a second before the beast let out a fierce growl and snapped at her, but Terra fell back, eyes wide with real fear this time, eyes jammed shut.

The beast was upon her, mere inches away from clawing at her face when "Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" A shield of black energy divided the two of them Terra safely on one side and Beast Boy being flung backwards on the other. The geomancer scrambled to her feet shaking slightly as she let the three Titans move forward. She without powers was no use here…Except maybe for Beast Boy's lunch.

"Thanks," Terra murmured softly, Raven giving a small shrug.

"Don't mention it. Ever." The empath's eyes were glowing white as the beast stood, shaking itself off from the blow and reared back on its hind legs letting out an echoing howl that reverberated off the walls of the lair. But a voice cut through the ringing of the animal's cry making all four teens turn to stare into the darkness.

"Having fun?" The voice was casual, cool, even calmly questioning. Slade's voice was always smooth but he just sounded cocky this time. A line of dim lights sparked up around the Titans' feet boxing them into a lighted circle. As the masked villain walked, lights lit up the area revealing him just like they all remembered. "He is rather amusing but sorry, Titans, that toy is reserved for Terra." Slade snapped his fingers and the beast slinked passed the Titans without a second glance back, standing obediently at its master's side. In the light you could just make out an incision on his forehead, dried blood already forming a thin scar even with the stitches.

"Don't talk about him like that," Terra snarled hands balled into fists at her sides as she glared Slade down, Raven, Robin and Starfire all behind her. She had a clear view of her former master and his new Apprentice, her eyes blazing. "Beast Boy won't…"

"Beast Boy might not but this animal might." Slade taunted dully, smirking as he watched Terra's face fall slightly, though her glare remained firm. "But don't think I just forgot about you, Robin, Raven, Starfire and, oh where's the other one? No matter." The villain gave a wicked sort of smirk before flicking his fingers again, his army of Slade-bots emerging from every side to corner the Titans. "See what you make of them." He stared blankly at the group of four for a moment before his voice became cold a she spoke out. "One of these things doesn't belong. Eeny meanie miney mo. Oh look, Terra and three Titans…"

The tight circle seemed to close as the three Titans boxed Terra in between them. "Titans, defensive moves only. He's trying to distract us." Robin murmured withdrawing a set of disks from his utility belt, eyes flashing behind his mask as the robots enclosed them farther. He flung a combination of them outward, electric and exploding disks tasking out several robots at once. He gave a slight smirk before turning to speak to Slade only to duck a punch from an oncoming robot. In his crouched position Robin whipped his leg around taking out the robot and moving on to back handspring away from another, his combat skills coming in handy.

Raven was chanting steadily keeping a shield up in front of Terra as she maneuvered dark energy blasts at the robots, sending them a few feet back before literally bursting into circuits and springs. Starfire was at her side firing eye-beams and starbolts in every direction. It only took minutes for the army to be defeated, though more kept pouring in from all sides; just when they thought they were done and Raven lowered her shield more Slade-bots attacked forcing them back into defensive maneuvers. The thing about defensive tactics is it takes a long time to defeat the enemy and one slip up can cost you a lot.

Another shadow filled the doorway, this time obviously Cyborg because who else who have a sonic cannon for an arm? "Who said ya'll could start without me?" He called with a smirk blasting away at the robot army with blasts of blue. Unfortunately one of his blasts went awry and ricocheted off of Raven's energy shield. "Sorry, Terra!" The bionic teen called sheepishly, leaping into the fray and trying to be more careful with his cannon from now on.

Raven and Starfire had been cornered against the wall by around ten Slade-Bots. Standing back to back the two caught each other's eye and smirked slightly taking to the air and joining hands. Twirling around a few times Starfire let out a furry of starbolts, Raven a blast of dark energy. The two beams intertwined, green mixing with black, to take out all ten robots. The empath and Tamaranian's sole concentration had been conjuring enough energy to defeat the robots and that left Terra unguarded amidst the chaos of the lair.

The geomancer blinked slightly, at first somewhat confused about the shield breaking. Terra then backed away from the battle slowly, watching as Robin flipped over one robot's shoulders causing it to ram right into one of its comrades. Chuckling slightly she turned around having that strange feeling of being watched again. As she did her hand brushed something furry and Terra instantly knew it was Beast Boy. The beast was there on all fours, eyes narrowed threateningly as it snapped at her hand, though she withdrew it in time to avoid losing any digits. "Beast Boy," she winced slightly hearing a growl form deep in the creature's throat. "I know you're in there, BB. I can see you…"

The beast seemed to heed her words for a minute, eyes flicking back to Beast Boy's usual emerald for a second before fading back to pure white, jaws wide as he snarled at her, saliva dripping from his fangs as he lunged forward pinning her to the ground. The animal had its paws on her chest so it took Terra a second to let her lungs adjust, coughing and gasping for breath as the massive beast pressed its weight down slowly crushing her against the floor. "I came back just like I promised." This only led to Beast Boy swiping at her unguarded face, leaving a deep gash on her cheek. Terra let out a cry of anguish as she lifted a hand to touch her stinging skin, bringing it down to her eyes to reveal a sticky wet liquid, her own blood.

"I guess I deserved that," she murmured thrusting her legs upward in an attempt to fling the best off of her, but it seemed his legs were firmly panted, forepaws on her chest and back legs on the ground. His claws unsheathed as he pressed down with his front paws, leaving large rips in her shirt, though he moved his paws down now crushing her ribcage. "I promised you I'd come back, Beast Boy," Terra choked out, eyes now closed and breathing getting steadily more painful with each word. "I promised myself I'd bring you back no matter what, even if that means hurting you a little in the process." He was unsteady from the shifting of his weight, Terra could tell. Thrusting her legs upward again, this time catching him in his stomach, she managed to throw the beast off of her for the time being.

Wincing and squinting outward at the battle around her, Terra noticed a lot of smoke and shouting, though she couldn't make out a lot of the words. All she could tell was the Titans were losing somehow, though she didn't know why. Right now all she was focused on was dragging herself away from Beast Boy and the pain long enough to regain the use of her legs. Pushing herself to her knees, one arm wrapped around her ribs Terra crawled away from the large lump of green fur on the floor that was Beast Boy. If she could only knock him out she was sure he'd resume human form and maybe that way she could talk some sense into him…

As she thought, though, Terra stopped moving and was slumped on the floor, hair hanging in front of her face as she clutched her side, breaths coming out sharp and ragged. "My dear Apprentice it has been a pleasure. But all things must come to an end. It seems your life's end is now." Slade's voice rang in her ears painfully, though he wasn't screaming at her. The villain was crouched next to her whispering into her ear. She brushed her hair from her face and spit into his face, eyes filled with cold fury.

"Kill me, then," Terra challenged now shaking slightly. "Put me out of my pain."

"Dear child, are you under the impression I was the one to end your life?" Slade gave a slightly sorry sort of laugh before shaking his head slowly, reaching out to cup Terra's chin in his gloved hand. "No, ending your suffering would only bring you peace of mind. I won't be killing you. _He _will." Slade pulled at her chin, making her head whip around to stare into the face of the beast just to the left of her, breathing out of his nose heavily. Beast Boy snorted as Slade dropped Terra's chin, her head lolling on her chest as she pulled her gaze around to stare at the creature that had been Beast Boy…it still was Beast Boy deep inside.

"Beast Boy…d-don't." Too late. The beast had sprung, pouncing on Terra's already weak body and pinning her painfully to the ground once more this time taking care to place his front paws just above her ribs his back paws on her thighs to keep her from moving. She cringed slightly as he drew his massive head down towards her own, forcing herself to stare up into those scarily pupil-less eyes, tears forming in her own eyes. "You told me once…you said it's never too late to change. It's not too late for you, Beast Boy. You can overcome the beast, you can overpower Slade's chip. Come back to me Beast Boy. You can change. I love you, remember?"

The was a long silence between the two of them, the beast's rapid breathing and Terra's ragged breathing mixing as their heads were so close. Terra's eyes held a glimmer of hope, heartbeat fast in her chest as she waited for a response of any kind, bracing herself for the worst. But the silence was broken as one massive paw was raised to swipe at the girl's neck. There was a moan of intense pain but nothing more…nothing except the soft whimpering of the beast as it looked down at its work being done. There lying in a pool of her own blood was Terra and he Beast Boy had done this to her. The creature rolled over onto its back, now in a seated position as he stared blankly down at Terra, eyes a familiar green.

They flickered slightly as Beast Boy fought for control of his body, but in the end his eyes were still that white, the beast and the chip winning the battle for power. Combined Beast Boy just couldn't overcome them. The animal snorted slightly, turning his back on the girl leaving her in a puddle of red. Terra lay there, hand clamped around her neck trying to stop the blood pouring from her wound to no avail. Uneven breathing patterns were getting steadily harder to perform, though she kept her oxygen flow going. Terra could feel her heart pounding slowly in her chest when only minutes ago it had been beating rapidly. Was this what it felt like to die? Was this what it felt like to fight so hard for what you wanted only to lose it all in the end?

Like a filmstrip memories were flashing passed her eyes. Terra and daddy, Terra and Brion, Terra and the Titans, Terra and Slade…Terra and Beast Boy images all flashed through her mind in the span of a few seconds. The geomancer felt the pain in her ribs start to spread, feeling a sharp twinge in her chest. Terra grimaced as she heaved another breath, now staring into a brilliant white light. In the movies when people were dying someone always called to them 'Don't go towards the light!' But the person she always envisioned to be saying that line, Beast Boy, was nowhere to be found and to make matters worse he was the one who had done this to her. No, it was Slade. Gasping painfully for air Terra jammed her eyes shut, unable to stare into the blinding light anymore, though she did note that it was now golden. She felt an intense jolt of pain throughout her body and then nothing…Terra didn't feel numb or tingling or anything…All she felt was nothing. Terra didn't care what anyone had told her about death…It wasn't painful in the least. It was fast, quick and sure there was pain but then it was death. She couldn't handle the pain anymore and so willingly tasted oblivion, a warm tingle running down her spine as she broke the barrier separating her from what was on the other side of the light.


	10. Chapter 10: Binding Contracts

**Sorry about the slight gap here. Kingdom Hearts II got in the way of my writing. But...here's Chapter Ten. For lack of a better title I give you Binding Contracts.**

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Forget everything about death being a painless experience. When Terra passed through that barrier, seemingly separating the death from the living, that warm tingle spread from her spine through her entire body like knives digging into her skin. Whatever pain she had felt when the beast had attacked her was only intensified sevenfold. The geomancer vaguely wondered if you were supposed to feel anything when you were dead but her thoughts drifted off as her strangled breathing, heavy and forced, met her ears. Slowly Terra's eyes darted open, merely narrow slits as she painfully gasped for breath, chest heaving and her left foot twitching slightly. Her heartbeat was still extremely slow, one arm wrapped around her ribcage. But her free arm, the one that had been trying to clot the blood now drying on her neck was resting on the cold floor, twitching slightly almost as if it had a mind of its own.

"What...?" Terra mumbled blankly, eyes now jammed shut as her arm began twitching violently, her body almost under convulsions as she hugged her arms around her battered and bruised body, now on her knees. Her head was spinning horribly, and as she opened her eyes to steady herself the blurry outlines of the Titans and the Slade-bots only made this worse. Still shivering Terra closed her eye again trying to steady the feeling of being on a merry-go-round.

Unfortunately, Terra's seizure didn't stop Slade from staring down at her from a pedestal, head tilted to one side. "Curious. I thought she'd be taken care of by now." The villain let out an irritated sort of sigh before a low whistle broke through the room over the sounds of fighting, the green beast appearing at its master's side. "Apprentice do take care of the pest problem right this time…" Beast Boy had already trotted to the edge of the pedestal and leaped to the ground, a dull thud echoing as his paws hit the floor each time. Terra, though she was trying to ignore the large green creature coming toward her, feeling daggers on every inch of her body now, white hot like the sun.

A growl of warning came from Beast Boy's mouth as he charged Terra, paws spread wide. When he landed on the cold floor the beast skidded a few feet catching Terra in his chest, paws on either side of her body. Her eyes snapped open as she felt the animal's hot breath on her face. Her body was still convulsing as she stared deep into the pupil-less eyes trying desperately to find a bit of Beast Boy left there. "Come on, Beast Boy…Remember…remember the pie?"

There was a long pause between the two the beast's head dipped low as if remembering something about great apple pie…but the moment of recognition passed almost as soon as it had come. Beast Boy threw his head back a howl piercing the air as his gaze fell back on Terra, who had stopped shaking but was still cornered against a wall by a green shape-shifter. He reared back on his hind legs, forepaw raised high above his head as he swung wildly for Terra's unguarded body…

…but Terra, too had raised her hand on the prospect of cushioning most of the powerful blow thinking it would be far better to break her arm then to die at the hands of the beast. The thing she hadn't counted on was her hand beginning to glow a familiar gold, eyes taking on the same hue, and a large crack forming on the ground below them. The earth was shattering between Beast Boy's back feet, making him fall back onto all fours and steady himself on one side of the large crevice, snarling at Terra, bits of drool and spit clinging to her bruised face.

The animal took another step forward, slowly taking the opportunity of Terra's stunned expression to attack. The beast opened its muzzle, canines looking like knives glittering in the light. Terra, hand raised to her eyes in question was completely oblivious to this action, crying out in pain as Beast Boy's teeth sank into her wrist. His jaws were locked around her wrist completely, and she slowly felt him rotate it in his mouth. The animal clamped his jaws down, a sickening crack signifying the breaking of Terra's wrist bone. She winced, yanking at her arm, other hand clasped around it as she pulled trying to force his teeth out of her skin to no effect.

Instead she called upon her newly returned powers the familiar golden glow lighting up inside Beast Boy's mouth, his eyes taking on a slightly glazed over yellow. Terra gave a dull sort of smirk before her other hand, now behind her back, balled into a fist and summoned a rock to clunk the beast in the head. He roared in surprise, releasing her wrist and stumbling blindly backward overturning a number of Slade-bots in the process. Terra taking advantage of Beast Boy's current distraction, lifted the slab of floor she was kneeling on upward, now cradling her throbbing wrist in her other arm. The slab of earth and tile rose upward, out of Beast Boy's reach, and the girl gave a heavy sigh of relief.

Apparently she'd sighed a little too soon. Terra's rocky platform was out of reach for the normal Beast Boy and maybe even an array of his normal animal forms, but the beast was different. It had sprung from the ground and landed with claws unsheathed digging into the surface of the platform. His forepaws were on the top, though the rest of his titanic body was dangling off. Terra wide-eyed backed to the far edge of the rock, nearly tripping off herself as she watched Beast Boy drag himself on the surface of the strip of earth. He paused, shaking his fur free of lose bits of dirt as he gazed about for his prey, eyes narrowed and now taking on a strangely red glow. The beast's teeth were bared, stained red from Terra's blood.

"Beast Boy," Terra said through clenched teeth, pain on every inch of her body as she watched him stalk forward, mere inches away from her again. She raised a glowing gold fist separating them, and the beast sat amazed at the sparkling color of the girl's hand. She let out a slight sigh keeping her fist raised as she spoke slowly and clearly, almost like speaking to a small child. "I know you don't remember anything, but I also know you're in there. Fight it, Beast Boy. That chip, Slade…you can beat it. I know you can."

Beast Boy, though, seemed to lose interest in Terra's hand and raised his own forepaw threateningly claws ready to strike. He slashed at her, batting her hand away. Terra lost her balance completely at the blow, one knee dropping completely off the ledge, leg dangling over the floating boulder. Her eyes widened slightly as Beast Boy lunged for her, knocking her completely off the rock. She gripped the edge of the platform tightly with her fingers, one slipping as she let out a slight gasp. The beast was on all fours above her, muzzle twisted into an animalistic smirk as he clamped his front paws over her wrist, claws digging into it and holding her in place, dangling over the floor.

Terra bit her lower lip painfully as he body twisted about, ramming into the rock she was hanging from. Her free hand, the one that was broken, was hanging at her side, encased in the familiar golden glow. A smaller boulder was floating under her now, waiting to catch her should she fall. But with Beast Boy clamping her wrist to the larger platform, there was no hope of that. Terra's hand shook under the beast's paws, causing him to lift one paw to stare blankly at it. The rock beneath his feet was cracking right down the middle. He would fall, possibly crash into the solid ground below.

He made a conscious decision to remove his other paw from Terra's wrist, letting her drop onto the smaller slab of rock, knees buckling as soon as she landed. Beast Boy seemed to have the same idea, though for he landed nearly on top of her moments later just as the large slab of rock above them burst into a million tiny pieces at Terra's command.

The beast gave a fierce snarl, using its massive head to push Terra toward the edge of the small rock. He placed a massive paw on her chest once he reached the edge, her head and shoulders already completely off the rock. Beast Boy pushed a bit more, holding her onto the rock by using his other forepaw as an anchor waiting for the perfect moment to drop her preferably in the large crater she had left in the ground. But Terra's focus was not on escaping her fate; she was staring into Beast Boy's blood red eyes with a sorrowful expression.

"Beast Boy," she inhaled sharply as his paw moved from her chest to her neck, her breathing becoming slowly more painful. "You were the best friend I ever had…" Her eyes were swimming with tears as she choked out the words, prepared for the deciding blow. But all Terra saw were Beast Boy's eyes fading from blood red to milky white and then miraculously to emerald green. It was him, it was _Beast Boy._

His expression didn't change, though when he opened his mouth this time a small whimper came out. The beast's mouth opened wide as he swooped in, Terra jamming her eyes shut thinking the mind control had come back. But Beast Boy didn't bite her head off or even take a snap at her. All her did was gently pull her up by the collar of her shirt, dropping her as gently as he could next to him on the rock. Terra stared blankly at the green creature, arms wrapped around her body once more. Beast Boy, though, had his head bowed staring determinedly at the surface of the rock, tail tucked between his legs. He was still whimpering, but Terra outstretched her unbroken hand to stroke the fur atop his head, causing him to whip around, and eyes wide. "It's okay, BB. It's okay," she cooed, as the beast gave a slight wag of his tail, now nuzzling his massive head into her chest.

Terra winced slightly as he pushed on her, though she still gave a slight chuckle now scratching behind his ears. "I knew you were in there, Beast Boy. I knew you could overcome it." The beast gazed up at her, eyes sparkling slightly. Like a TV changing channels his irises faded, leaving milky white and then blood red. He was there and gone in a matter of minutes.

The beast opened its muzzle wide, letting out a fierce snarl before pouncing upon Terra again, though not calculating the proportions. His forepaws found their way to her shoulders and his back paws on her thighs as they rolled off the rock, now flipping over in midair. Terra's eyes were wide as they plummeted trying to summon a stone large enough to catch them, but her concentration was broken each time by the sharp pain running through her veins. They were falling, flipping, turning, and it was just a matter of who was going to end up on top when they hit the bottom.

The two struggled for what seemed like hours, though in the end Beast Boy's weight was against him. He ended up on the bottom, staring up at Terra with furious red eyes, though he let his paws fall off of her, allowing him to right himself in the air and land on his feet, leaving a small dip in the ground on his impact. Terra, though, was not so lucky. The beast had let go just with enough time for him to get on his feet. She on the other hand had prepared for Beast Boy cushioning the impact. When he landed in the crevice, so did she, a large amount of golden energy ricocheting off the walls as she crash landed.

The small blast of uncontrolled energy threw Beast Boy back a few yards, leaving Terra in the crater, completely immobile. The sounds pounded in her head, mostly hearing strangled cries from the Titans or maybe a comment from Slade. When she opened her eyes, Beast Boy was standing over her again, this time a manic sort of gleam in his blood hued eyes. "If you're in there BB…Now would be a pretty good time to come out." The beast snorted, jaws open wide as he bit down on Terra's now bloodstained shirt collar, dragging her along the tiled floor, scuffed by many small explosions that had occurred during the battle, which now seemed to be over. That was why Beast Boy was carrying her along, to meet her death with the Titans, who she supposed, had won the fight…But with Slade's bargaining chip they might just be doing some wagering.

Beast Boy came to a halt in front of a raised platform in the ground, Slade mounted atop it. Judging by his cocky tone, he had just been revealing to the Titans the truth about the chronoton detonator. "-Titans, there is no way to save the world without complying to my every word. So, are you ready to break the hero's oath for a chance at saving the world?" He broke off catching sight of his Apprentice with his catch. "Ah, Beast Boy brought me his capture. How sweet."

The four remaining Titans swerved around quickly to face Beast Boy and what was left of Terra. She had shrunk back and was practically cowering within the fur of the beast's chest, determinedly keeping her eyes closed. If she opened them to look at the Titans, she might let them see her pain. If she looked at Slade she might lose control and cause a cave-in, though she probably didn't have enough energy in her now to cause a small crack to form under her shoes. Her breathing was heavy, her heartbeat fast though as she leaned back against Beast Boy, she felt his heartbeat, too and for some reason that comforted her.

"The clock is ticking, Titans. Your decision better be made before my Apprentice gets up here with his prey or else I might just have to do something you'll regret." Slade's eye was flashing dangerously as he stared straight into Beast Boy's eyes and the beast crouched low before springing up onto the platform, dropping Terra at his master's heels. "My dear second Apprentice…what has become of you?"

"You- let him go," she muttered blankly, now kneeling before Slade like she had knelt before him before, like she had knelt before her father when he beat her. No way she was going down like this. If she was going to die, she would die with pride. Forcing herself to her feet Terra lifted her head to stare defiantly at Slade, eyes swimming with emotion, mainly hate. The tormented eyes of this teenage girl who had been through so much was somewhat startling, causing Slade to take a step back.

"Dear child, you didn't think I was going to keep him around after this did you?" Terra shot him a blank look, now shaking with anger. "No. You see I was never going to have him kill you, not physically anyway. What I _was_ planning on doing, Terra, was pressing this little button." He held up a small remote, two buttons on it, thumb hovering just above the red button.

"What the hell is that?"

"The self-destruct mechanism on the microchip implanted in your boyfriend's skull." If you could see through Slade's mask you would see a smirk the size of Texas, satisfaction finally coming to him to see Terra's jaw drop, eyes wide with fury.

"You push that button you die," Terra's voice was quivering at the mere thought of losing Beast Boy after all this. This entire escapade had been her fault. If he died now there would be no reason for her to have lived. It would have all been for nothing.

"Oh, really? Care to prove that threat?" Slade's voice took on a disbelieving air as he let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Terra, but as your father I don't approve of this green boyfriend of yours. I told you no dating until you're twenty-o-" His sentence faded off into nothingness as the beast, who until this point had been sitting at Slade's right hand side, rammed into the masked villain sending him off the platform and to the ground, falling right in the middle of the four remaining Titans.

Terra blinked staring from Beast Boy to the ground and back again, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. She felt the pain she had been resisting all this time flow back into her veins as her knees buckled sending her to the ground. The beast padded over, eyes now milk white, and claws unsheathed. A frown etched on her face, Terra backed up crawling towards the end of the platform without realizing it. Her left knee went first and then her right, but this time she didn't have the quickness to grab hold of the edge of the rocky slab.

A green paw latched onto her hand and then another, before pulling her up a bit and stopping, milky eyes narrowing. A silent pause overcame the two of them as Terra found her footing, still near falling off the edge of the rock in the signature 'Scar and Mufasa' Lion King pose. The paw let go and Terra's eyes widened, trying to prepare for the impact she was sure to have when reaching the ground, but a crash landing never came. Instead, a silver gloved latched onto her hand, then another before Beast Boy pulled her back onto steady ground. "Beast…Boy?"

"Who were you expecting? Prince Charming?" The shape-shifter wore a sort of cross between a frown and a grin, that unruly fang hanging over his bloody lip as he surveyed Terra's bruises, completely ignoring the fact that he too was covered in black and blue marks, and that there was still a microchip implanted in his head, the stitches already coming out and fresh blood on his forehead.

"Thanks…"

Beast Boy held up a hand as Terra fell limply against his chest, eyes closed. "Don't thank me. I was only making sure you didn't die after I hurt you. I hope you don't think love always has to hurt, Terra, 'cause it doesn't. I mean everyone you ever loved hurt you. Your dad, Brion, Slade, even me. But I won't let anything hurt you anymore. I promise."

"If this is the price of love then I don't care," Terra mumbled, face buried in Beast Boy's chest. "It's worth it to have someone hold you like this forever and ever."

Unfortunate, nothing not matter how good lasts forever. Slade might have taken the fall off the platform, but he still had the remote control. The villain was dangling it in front of the Titans' faces like a piece of raw meat, his eye glowing. Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Cyborg were encircling their foe, but of course the Boy Wonder was edged in a bit, bo-staff at the ready and pointed threateningly at Slade's chest. "Give it up, Slade. We've got you cornered."

"Oh do you?" The villain let out a slight sigh before hitting a button at his belt, disappearing an appearing behind the group of four. "It seems I have cornered you, Robin, between two enemies." Slade let his hand hover over the green button on his remote. "Time is a tricky thing. It flows like a river, not stopping or slowing down. No matter how much you fight the current, time always slips through your fingers. I guess the thing to do is 'go with the flow', right Titans? So, what will it be? Should I detonate it first or take care of our little green friend?"

"Titans," Robin called out from behind the other three, all of whom had recoiled slightly at the threat of one of there own. Cyborg slid over to the side to let his leader move forward to stare Slade right in the…eye. The Boy Wonder's jaw was set, eyes narrowed as he maneuvered the staff above his head, and then remarkably retracted it, stowing it away in his belt. Robin's posture changed from combat mode to standing straight up, shoulders back and arms crossed, eyes averted from Slade at all costs. His eyes were saddened behind his mask, and the long silence was getting to them all. "Stand down."

"I knew you'd see it my way, Robin. Now then if you'll just do me the pleasure of seeing the promise through, I'd like to give you a test." Robin's expression changed slightly, eyes narrowing as his gaze darted to Slade, though his determined look never wavered. Slade crept steadily forward, ignoring the murmurings from the other Titans to stand inches away from the Boy Wonder's face. The villain gave a harsh chuckle before bringing a gloved hand forward to run it through Robin's hair. He pulled the boy close, whispering in his ear for only Robin to hear. "Bow to me, Robin. Bow down like the inferior being you are."

The Titan leader's eyes widened, teeth clenched in anger before he cast a sideways glance over his shoulder to stare blankly at Beast Boy, who was still cradling Terra in his arms. Robin's gaze wandered to his fellow Titans, all three who looked so helpless and why not? Here he had come and made a rash decision without their consent. He was sure they wouldn't want Beast Boy killed…but going against the hero's oath wasn't exactly something the Boy Wonder lived by. Beast Boy had taken the oath, they all had. He knew the risks…but being part of a team meant that you were there for each other no matter what. So with that, Robin dropped to one knee, arm draped over his knee and his back foot curled in to hold him steady. His free hand was balancing him in front, and his head was bowed low, eyes staring determinedly at the floor. The leader of the Titans had fallen…

"Good, Robin. One more thing I've just been _dying_ to know." Slade stood over the Boy Wonder, hands clasped behind his back. "That thing is who are you? The Dark Knight's trainee reformed? I thought Batman was a lone vigilante. I also recall him saying never to let personal conflicts get in the way of justice. But you are not like him are you, Robin, are you? No, of course not. No one, not even the might Boy Wonder can stand his friend's demise. I learned that long ago. That thing I've been wondering. What lies beyond that mask of yours?"

There was a gasp from Starfire who was outraged by the fact that Slade would know his true identity before she did. The one thing Robin protected from all of them was his identity. Surely he wouldn't abandon it now. Right? "You can take my pride, you can take my dignity, and you can take my willpower. But if there's one think you _can't_ take from me it's my identity," Robin spat, bringing his arm around in a swift motion to emphasize his point.

Slade merely shook his head slowly, circling the still kneeling Robin, who looked almost like he was going to propose. "And you Titans are always going on about villains not going along with deals. Perhaps it's you _heroes _that forget the binding contracts." His eyes narrowed and suddenly there was an outcry of pain from the direction of the platform Terra and Beast Boy were on. Something had happened and they had both fallen, Beast Boy precariously close to the edge.

"Beast Boy? What's wrong?" The geomancer gasped slightly, seeing his pain. The shape-shifter was on his knees, hands clasped around his head and eyes jammed shut, though the tears were still streaming down his face. "No. No! Cyborg, do something!" Terra felt tears running down her own cheeks as she moved forward to Beast Boy, who was now letting out a cry of anguish that echoed around the lair ten times before fading away.

"C-can't…take it."

"Yes you can, Beast Boy! Look at me!" Terra was next to him now, a hand on his shoulder as he shook violently, the pain from being torn from the inside out taking a severe toll. She grasped his shoulder tightly as he twitched, trying to get him to recognize her presence. She was sure her nails were digging into his skin by the time he let out a soft hiccup, turning his head slightly to stare at Terra, eyes wide and holding the despair that only a near death experience can bring. The changeling's hair was sticking up oddly, as if static electricity had toyed with it, and the wound where his stitches once were was torn open, blood streaming down his face and mixing with the salty water of his tears. "Look into my eyes, alright? As long as you keep your focus on my eyes you're okay. As long as you can see me you're okay."

Beast Boy shivered again, now rocking back and forth. It seemed the chip wasn't imploding just yet, or it wasn't finished. Below there were vague sounds of a struggle, but all the shape-shifter heard were Terra's words and eventually the sound of metal footsteps. Cyborg stood over the pair of them head tilted slightly to one side as he watched Terra soothe a frightened Beast Boy. "Terra wha-"

As the robotic Titan's words faded off, blue electricity pulsed through Beast Boy's skull, visible through the break in his skin at his forehead. His eyes rolled back in his head and a slight groan was heard as he literally collapsed in Terra's arms. "Beast Boy?" She muttered, eyes wide and unbelieving of what she saw. "Beast Boy," she shrieked, now staring wide-eyed at Cyborg. "You've got to do something…He's…"

"The only way to break the self destruct mechanism is to remove the chip," his voice was slow and cautious as he rubbed the back of his head, now kneeling beside Terra and his fallen teammate.

"Do it then!" The geomancer was practically in hysterics. "I might not know much about cars and your tech, but I know if someone's eyes roll back it's not a good thing. Do it!"

"Terra- BB's not a car. It's not that easy."

"You said it's the only way. So do it!"

"I will. But I might be too late. Beast Boy's body can't take this voltage for very much longer." Cyborg took the shape-shifter's limp body in his metal arms before laying him down gently on the floor of the platform, doing a full body scan. His face was grim, though he need not report Beast Boy's status to Terra; she could tell by the look in Cyborg's human eye.

"You worry about getting that chip out. I'll…"

"What're you gonna do, Terra? The only other way to stop it would be…Oh man."

"I'll worry about the remote." Terra winced as she tried putting her weight on her legs but ended up back on her knees, though noticing Starfire and Raven nearby she gestured to them before getting Cyborg to hand over his T-Com. That look in Beast Boy's eyes, the look of pain, hopelessness, and confusion, matched the one Terra had worn in the better part of her life. The only time that looked had gone was when she was with the Titans, with Beast Boy. The only way she'd ever have a chance to forget that look forever was to save Beast Boy…or die trying.


	11. Chapter 11: Power Source

**Well, here's the next chapter. Only one more after this. Hope you guys enjoy. **

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Static. "Raven? Pick up." Pause. Static. "Okay, don't pick up. Beast Boy's in trouble. We need a plan. We need to get that remote from Slade and we need to distract Slade long enough so he doesn't notice. And ideas?" Pause. Terra's breathing filled the frequency as she gave an irritated growl. "Fine, be that way. I dunno why I even-"

"_Would you stop messing around with the communication frequency? If you needed to contact me you could've just opened a thought link."_

Terra, still hovering awkwardly at the edge of the platform tilted her head slightly to the side, watching the three Titans, Robin still in a crouched position, Starfire lingering behind him, and Raven hanging back farther then the other two, violet eyes flicking back to stare pointedly at the blonde, who was somewhat stunned at having the empath's voice in her head. "Right. Why didn't I think of that? Oh, maybe because I've been gone for over nine months…" Terra didn't notice the fact that she was speaking aloud, but blinked slightly when Raven responded anyway.

"_Was there a reason you needed to talk to me or was this just time to irritate me in the heat of battle?"_

The geomancer rolled her eyes slightly, once more catching Raven's gaze. "You heard it. If you can hear me talking now you heard it." Terra pulled back, glancing over her shoulder to Cyborg, who had a very strange attachment, like a scalpel on one hand, a syringe and a wad of gauze in his other. She winced slightly as he pulled back the skin on the shape-shifter's forehead and shook his head slowly. "What?"

"It's deeper then I thought. I might have to break bone." Cyborg paused, exchanging his scalpel for something that looked like a small metal detector. "Once I find the chip I'll get it out ASAP, but Terra I can't guarantee you he'll be the same BB. I mean, that chip has to be fused into his brain to be working. It might even have erased some of his memories."

"It didn't," she answered quietly, head bowed as she bit her lower lip. "He remembered me. As the beast his eyes changed according to what was controlling him, the beast, the chip, or Beast Boy. He recognized me." Terra had drawn her knees in to her chest and was resting her chin upon them, hair hanging into her face and hiding the steady stream of tears that was falling. She might have said that, but deep inside there was that small part of her that thought…No, he was fine.

"He might remember bits and pieces, Terra," Cyborg murmured, a steady beeping sound coming from his tech detector. He moved the device along Beast Boy's cut, and when he reached the dead center of it, where the stitches had fallen out, the beeping became shrill and sharp. "But I'm not gonna lie to you. This kind of thing, neural control, it usually leaves a person with some kind of brain damage."

"Usually," Terra repeated voice cold and slightly violent, "People don't come back from the dead, either." She brought her gaze back to Raven who judging by her general expression had been listening in to their entire conversation. "I didn't lose my memories."

"_You pretended to."_

The geomancer turned her attention away from Cyborg who now was trying to select the right type of tool to break through Beast Boy's skull. The sound of sawing was heard in the back of Terra's mind, but thankfully her attention was on solely on Raven. "You got a plan or are we gonna sit here until Slade starts picking us off one by one?"

"_If I had a plan I wouldn't be just standing her on a telekinetic phone with you, would I?" _

Not perturbed by the response in the least, Terra jumped right in, her voice taking on the uncanny likeness of one of those crime bosses about to pull a big heist. "Alright, here's what we do…"

B&P

"With Cyborg working away trying to save your friend and Terra incapacitated it seems I only have three Titans to deal with." Slade was pacing in front of Robin, though the Boy Wonder was paying little to no attention to the villain. One hand was at his ear, brow furrowed as he communicated with Raven through his mind.

"_You're sure this'll work?"_ There was no answer, merely what seemed to be elevator music playing in the background of his brain. Robin shook his head slightly, pulling his gaze upward to stare defiantly at Slade. "Three against one seems like pretty good odds to me," the Boy Wonder murmured, eyes flashing behind his mask.

"It would seem that way, wouldn't it, Robin. But you see I have one thing you weren't counting on." Slade gave a snicker before moving aside to reveal a large blue orb that looked like it was made of Jell-o. Robin tilted his head slightly to one side. Something was in there. The Boy Wonder rubbed his eyes, disbelieving what he saw before letting out a slightly hoarse gasp.

"…Star…fire?"

"Yes. While you and Little Miss Darkness were having your little chat," Slade paused, earning a glare from Raven who was standing to the right of Robin, completely hidden behind her cloak. "Yes, I did have the lair blocked from telepathy, remember. That includes your little telekinetic conversations. Pity, that plan was so well thought out. It might have even worked."

"You let her go!" Robin barked, now on his feet with bo-staff in hand. His mouth was formed into the mother of all thin lines, eyes narrowed to the point that it was a wonder he was even seeing. The Boy Wonder advanced on the villain, only causing Slade to sidestep him and Robin to collide with the giant orb. He ricocheted off of it and landed on the rocky ground his staff feet from him, panting slightly. Robin though merely leapt to his feet and with a bird-a-rang in hand charged Slade once more.

The masked villain turned just in time to catch Robin's wrist and turn it forcefully behind his back. Slade plucked the projectile from the Boy Wonder's fingers and tossed it off to the side, his tone seemingly amused. "Now now, Robin have you forgotten that when you fight me it's one on one combat?" With that word Slade flung the Titans leader to the ground, where he lay for a moment before springing to his feet, eyes wandering. Where had Slade vanished to now?

He appeared directly behind Robin and landed a karate chop to the back of his neck. The Boy Wonder let out a yelp before feeling his knees buckle under him and landing sprawled out on his stomach. From there Robin got into a crouched position, retrieving his bo-staff and glancing around warily for the villain, though he was nowhere to be found. Slade phased into view directly in front of him, and Robin thrust the staff upward, catching him in the mask.

There was a clattering sound as the mask hit the staff, Slade's eye widening in fury. He gripped one end of the bo-staff while Robin grasped onto the other. The masked man pulled upward on his end, and the Boy Wonder was thrown into the air. Slade twirled the staff at his side as he stalked up on Robin, who lay on his side feet away. "It's a wonder I ever wanted you as my Apprentice, Robin. You seem a bit rusty." Slade kicked the Titans leader in the side, rolling him onto his back where he lay, eyes narrowed. The masked man planted a foot on his chest just as Robin scrambled to get up, pinning him there. "No escape now, Boy Wonder. It seems your time has run out."

He raised the staff high in the air and brought it down forcefully, aiming straight for Robin's stomach. The boy braced himself for the impact, eyes jammed shut and a wince already visible on his face, but the staff never made contact with his body. When Robin opened his eyes, he found a black energy shield around him, and Slade had been thrown backward a good yard or so. The Boy Wonder sprang to his feet and glanced over his shoulder just catching the tail of a purple cloak disappearing into the shadows. "Thanks, Rae," he muttered bluntly, now scanning the area for Slade, his shield fading.

"You know," the villain's voice was smooth, though there was a large dent on the left side of his mask. "If it wasn't for those girls on your team, you Titans would be much easier to take down." Slade stood before Robin, hands behind his back as the Boy Wonder leapt into the air, flipping once before coming down with a powerful kick. Slade was knocked backward as the foot collided with his chest, but he dropped down, swinging his leg out to catch Robin in the ankles and bring him down. The Boy Wonder however, had anticipated that and jumped into the air in time to avoid it, coming down with a roundhouse kick to Slade's stomach.

Unfortunately, the villain predicted that very movement and latched onto Robin's leg, flinging him halfway along the floor of the lair before stalking after him, much like a lioness stalking a gazelle.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the lair Raven was hidden among the shadows. The empath's hood was drawn, though her senses were as keen as ever, and with Cyborg's help she was tracking the energy signal of the chronton detonator. "Cyborg, you sure you're tracing Terra's energy signature? I'm right where you told me and I don't see or hear anything."

"Positive, Rae. And the thing should be directly in front of you." Raven sighed slightly, snapping her communicator shut before edging forward. There was nothing here but a bare wall with a bunch of old machinery parts stacked against it. She was inches from the wall's surface before she gave an irritated growl, centering herself once more before raising two fingers to her forehead and chanting.

"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos." Her eyes snapped open as her head tilted slightly, eyes narrowed beneath her hood. Raven extended her fingers to touch the wall and just as she expected, her hand phased through it. "Holograms and robots always were your specialty, Slade," she murmured, a strand of dark energy flowing from her fingers and picking a small metal box from the pile of nonexistent junk. Raven's powers snapped it in half revealing a door, and behind that door was the chronoton detonator.

"Raven calling Cyborg. I found the detonator. How do I disable it?" There was no answer. The empath edged forward, punching in the frequency again before repeating her quarry. Shaking her head slightly Raven snapped the communicator shut once more, now resting a hand on the detonator. It was glowing a faint gold, matching the color if Terra's powers. If she could just remove Terra's powers from it then it would be nothing but a shell. Raven took a deep calming breath before chanting once more, now concentrating on the detonator's power core.

"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" At her command, a jet of black energy appeared, flowing freely into the detonator and covering the circuitry in a mess of black. Raven gave a slight smirk at the simplicity of it all before gasping slightly; the black was changing to a strange mix of gold and black, almost a brown. The two sources of power were fighting for control of the machine. Raven's eyes flew shut as she began reciting the words of old once more, her concentration wavering from the sounds outside the room. There were voices, so many voices and the sounds of the fight between Slade and Robin. There was a shriek that pierced the air that Raven was sure had come from Terra, though she didn't know why.

Her eyes snapped open, watching as her own black energy wrestled with the gold energy for a minute. Then the black was sent hurtling back to its source, sending Raven flying backward into the wall. For a moment it seemed time had stopped, nothing but the gold in the chronoton detonator moving…But wait, time _had_ stopped.

Raven lie immobile propped against the wall, Starfire was still locked within that orb of Slade's. Slade and Robin were locked in combat, the villain midair in a kick and Robin frozen upside down, as if walking on his hands in a backhand spring. Cyborg was still bent over Beast Boy, an attachment inside the shape-shifter's skull. Nothing was moving…Nothing except for Terra.

Outside in the city, cars were stopped even though the traffic lights were green, people were frozen in place, and even the dog by the fire hydrant was frozen in place. Terra though shaking slightly, feeling a strange sense of foreboding was unharmed, and completely mobile. The geomancer looked around her, completely bemused by the fact that everyone else was stationary, and yet she was feeling if anything, rejuvenated. Sure, she still sported the cuts and bruises, the broken wrist and even the emotional pain of Beast Boy's ordeal, but she could stand now for some reason.

Terra hopped off the pedestal, hands folded behind her head as she walked forward, first smirking at the sight if Slade locked in place in mid-air. She raised an eyebrow slightly before jumping in front of him, making all sorts of rude gestures and hideous faces with no response from him. The geomancer chuckled slightly before turning her attention to the large gelatinous orb holding Starfire. The blonde tilted her head slightly to one side before raising a glowing fist, and wrenching a large piece of rock from the ground.

Terra paused, shaving the edges of the stone to make the edge sharp and pointed, almost like an arrowhead. The geomancer let the sharpened stone hover for a moment as she moved to the back of the orb, where more empty space was; Terra wasn't taking any chances on stabbing Starfire. Robin might kill her and really, Terra didn't need that at the moment. Once in position, she guided the spear forward until it poked the edge of the orb. Terra took a deep breath before shoving the arrowhead forward, breaking an enormous hole in the containment field. It burst, letting air out like a balloon and sending Terra backward a good three feet, but Starfire merely ended up sprawled out on the ground, still frozen.

Terra managed to get to her feet and rushed to her friend's side, a hand on her wrist. The geomancer gave a sigh of relief as she found Starfire pulse, and let her wrist drop back to her side. "Starfire, Robin, Slade, Beast Boy and Cyborg…" Terra murmured as she stood now walking towards the opposite edge of the lair, a thoughtful gleam in her eyes. "So where's Raven?"

Terra paused, trying to connect a 'mind link' with the empath, though she thought she had failed. The geomancer wandered the lair endlessly, at a completely loss of what to do. But then, thoughts of Raven's began spilling into her head. Apparently the mind link had been connected, but since Raven was unconscious and frozen in time, this was all Terra was going to get.

Like a filmstrip the images flashed passed, one of Raven conjuring a shield to protect Robin from Slade's final blow, one of Raven hidden in the shadows, talking to Cyborg, and finally, the clue to her answers, one of Raven in the back room with the chronoton detonator. Terra immediately turned her head to see a bare wall in the back of the lair, a door partially open. The geomancer sprinted for the door, not without the aching of a few sore spots still on her body. Terra skidded to a stop once she reached the door, glancing around wildly for Raven…

But then something caught her eye. Terra's jaw dropped as she noticed the chronoton detonator glowing with the same golden hue as her powers did. The geomancer edged forward, resting a hand on the machine and feeling a slight electric shock. She paused, eyes closed as she tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The conclusion she finally came to was this: because the source of the detonator's power was from her, Terra wasn't bound by the fabrics of time as the others were. She was the only one that could stop it, or rather make time start up again.

Terra stood with one arm across her chest, elbow resting in her palm and chin atop her fist. She circled the detonator once before shaking her head slowly, bending down to examine the wires. Was it snip the red? Or the blue? She was no member of the Bomb Squad. Terra straightened up, hands now resting in her pockets as he stared blankly at the detonator. What was she supposed to do? Well, that was obvious: disable the chronoton detonator. The problem was how.

The geomancer pulled a hand from her pocket to stare blankly at it before clenching it into a fist and letting her powers engulf it. Terra stepped forward, resting her now glowing hand upon the detonator. No shock came this time, merely a sort of vacuum as the golden power within the detonator was removed, flowing back into Terra's veins. As soon as the last bit of juice was drawn from the detonator, time was restored and with it the problem of not having enough of it loomed within Terra's eyes. She nearly collapsed on the spot, overwhelmed with the sudden return of her powers. One hand found its way to her head as she swayed slightly, now leaning against the wall for support.

"Way to evade the laws of time and space," Raven's usual monotone met Terra's ears and she whipped around to stare blankly at the empath who was just getting to her feet. "Did you scream earlier? Did something happen?" She pulled her hood back over her head before edging toward Terra, who was panting slightly while leaning against the wall.

"Just stress build-up," the geomancer answered shortly, now ignoring the feeling that she felt as if her veins were about to explode. The two locked eyes for a moment, just about to share a thought when a deep booming was heard. Raven cast a sideways glance at Terra who shrugged. "Wasn't me."

The empath conjured a disk of black energy to carry to the two of them to the battle scene. Of course, that was where the sparks were flying, literally. It seemed that after Robin broke from his backhand spring, he had tossed an electric disk at Slade. Angry, the villain had whipped out his remote and jammed the button for the detonator…but nothing happened.

"Why didn't you just steal the remote from the frozen Slade?" Raven mumbled as the disk touched down behind Robin. "That way you would've had the control on Beast Boy's chip, too." Terra brought a hand to her forehead, dragging it down her cheek before groaning outwardly. She was kicking herself inside for that; apparently her mind hadn't been all there.

"What?" Slade growled, now staring at the group opposite him consisting of Robin, Raven, the freed Starfire, and Terra. "_You_," he growled, launching himself forward and knocking Terra clear off her feet. "You were never supposed to be alive when the detonator went off." Terra was pinned beneath him, but she raised a glowing hand to smack him clear in the face, her power bubbling just at the surface of her skin. The slightest movement and they would go off. Blinking slightly Terra scrambled to her feet watching as Robin rammed into the masked villain from behind. The three Titans cornered him against a wall of the lair while Terra brought herself back up to the pedestal, staring from Cyborg to the immobile Beast Boy and back again.

"So…"

Cyborg gave a grim sort of smile, a pair of tweezers in hand. "Got it." He held up the tweezers which were holding an object, a blue circuited computer chip. "Just gotta sew Beast Boy up and he should be…okay."

Terra felt a deep sigh of relief come over her as she flung herself at Cyborg, knocking him onto his back and the tweezers flying off the stone platform. The geomancer gave a giddy sort of laugh as she hugged the stunned Cyborg, who pushed himself to a seated position. "Thanks, Cy. I'll never be able to repay you for it."

"No need to repay me little lady. Friends don't need payback." The bionic teen coughed slightly before setting Terra down on her feet and moving back to Beast Boy with a needle and thread. "Uh, you might not want to watch this part. Sewing skin back together isn't exactly fun to watch." Terra gave a slight smirk before staring out at the battlefield. Three Titans were there, all in a circle around a wall but Slade was nowhere to be found.

Gritting her teeth the geomancer jumped from the stone platform onto the ground, just catching sight of Slade's reappearance. He was running, making a break for the door. Why? Why didn't he just teleport himself out with that belt of his? The reason was he wasn't running for the door. He made a sharp turn, changing his path to charge directly at Terra. She gaped at him slightly before tearing a piece of earth from underneath herself and taking to the air.

Slade though used his bo-staff to vault onto the flying rock, now standing just opposite of his former Apprentice. "Terra you didn't think you could ever run away from me did you?" The masked villain gave a slight chuckle, now nearly on top of her but she didn't dare move. There was a strong surge of power resting inside her, and it was bubbling with the anger she was feeling right now. If she moved, it might be released and there was no telling what that would do. The only other time she felt this much power inside her was the day she'd sacrificed herself to save the city and we all know that didn't turn out so well.

"I was running after you, Slade," she shot back, hands balled into fists but stowed in her pockets to resist the temptation of using her powers. "I thought you were making a break for it just like you always do." Terra's stare was steady, never leaving the masked man's face, even when his eye seemed to bug out, seeing through her, inside her.

"Dear child, how could I leave without saying goodbye to my daughter? I think you deserve a proper funeral this time if the Titans can find your body." Slade wore a sort of manic gleam in his eyes, his voice suddenly darker and deeper then ever before. He pushed his arm forward, catching Terra in the chest, but she didn't fall. Instead she thrust her arms out in front of her on instinct, eyes widening at what she saw.

Normally, even if she would have tried to push back against Slade's push she would have fallen, and normally when her concentration was on a person rather then the rock she was levitating it would drop. This time, however, was different. The rock remained airborne and she didn't fall. Terra's hands though, were glowing the familiar gold. In fact, her entire body was giving off a radiant light of her power. The geomancer's teeth were gritted as she thrust her arms outward, Slade being thrown backwards, off the rock and onto the now melting ground. The earth below was boiling, lava slowly and steadily boiling beneath its surface.

Terra's rock dove directly into the pool of burning lava, the stone was steadily starting to melt. Slade had avoided a fiery death for the second time by teleporting himself to safety far out of Jump City by use of his very own Xenothium powered belt. It was too late to stop the severe burst of power that was exploding from Terra's body. The pain was so intense she was screaming in agony, the lava flowing around her and the ceiling caving in. The lair was made of rock completely; the entire thing was going to go down if she wasn't careful. The geomancer was raised into the air, the gold still radiating from her body just as the rock she had been floating on was engulfed in the flaming lava.

The only part of the lair that wasn't being licked by the lava was the stone platform where all five Titans now rested. Robin was staring about wildly, trying to formulate a plan of action while Starfire stood alongside him, hands clasped to her chest. "Friend Terra is losing control again."

"We gotta do somethin'. This place is gonna blow!" Cyborg stood behind the two, Beast Boy all sewn up now resting on his back in a sort of piggyback ride. The shape-shifter's head was resting on his shoulder as he stared out at the mess of lava and rock.

"We couldn't do anything before. What can we do this time?" Robin was crouching now, examining the dust as the lava steadily rose, getting closer and closer to the top of their platform.

"Nothing. There is nothing we can do but wait." Raven enveloped them all within a black energy shield as Terra threw her arms out wide, another scream piercing the air. It took all the power she had to slow the lava down enough to freeze it in stone, the rubble from the cave-in still floating around her.

The shield was breaking from the pressure and heat around it, and the Titans were all thrown in various directions. Cyborg kept his hold on Beast Boy, and miraculously the changeling opened his eyes slowly chin resting upon the bionic teen's shoulder. The last thing he saw was Terra, a cyclone of flying rocks around her before he dipped back into darkness, unconscious, yet still hearing snippets of the conversation. He was dipping in and out of consciousness, seeing the Titans one minute and the next only visions of darkness. Cyborg was jumping from rock to rock now, Beast Boy being jostled about. He took a deep breath, the last words he heard before exiting the cave being

"Titans, move!" Robin bellowed, his words echoing within the cave and dying out slowly, leaving everything left in the cave dead as well.


	12. Chapter 12: Shattered Memories

**Prepare for the dramatic conclusion of** _Bits and Pieces _**revised edition! I found a ton of typos that were bothering me to no end. So here you go. And no worries, folks. I'm sure after I beat the videogame a new story will pop up. **

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There was no telling how long it had been since the cave-in. It could have been mere hours or it could have been days. Still, he hadn't been awake since seeing her last, since seeing Terra, in almost the exact same position that he had left her the first time. If only he could have moved. If only he could have done something. If only, if only. The fact of the matter was he could barely move, let alone try a stunt like he'd done back in the diamond mine all those months ago. If only it hadn't happened. If only he could have prevented it.

Flashes of memories were playing in his head, though they were going from most recent to the things of so long ago. By the time the sunlight streaming into the infirmary tugged at his eyelids, pulling him out of his trace the memory at the top of his mind was of his parents before he had gotten that disease, before he had the serum of the green monkey. Beast Boy jolted awake with a start, eyes barely open and oddly enough, purple bags under his eyes even after he had been unconscious for days. He rubbed his eyes slightly, head tilted to the side with mild confusion. Where was he?

Trying to get comfortable on the bed, the shape-shifter rolled about causing a dull creaking noise. Cyborg burst into the room seconds later, toothpaste filling his mouth. "East oy or awake!" The changeling raised an eyebrow slightly before sighing heavily, kicking the blankets off of him and sitting up, noting that he was in a t-shirt and his boxers, the ones with miniature green rabbits on them.

"I have no idea what you're saying," Beast Boy managed, voice sounding hoarse and raspy from lack of using it. "And dude, is there a reason my head hurts so bad?" A green hand was resting on the stitching where a scar was steadily forming. His brow furrowed slightly, mouth formed into a sort of half sneer half frown. "What happened?"

Cyborg meanwhile, had switched his toothbrush attachment for a miniature sink and was spitting the toothpaste into it. Wiping his mouth with a metal arm the bionic teen shook his head slightly before taking a seat at a computer near Beast Boy's bed. "You're tellin' me you don't remember, man?"

"Should I? All I remember is you being mad about me trashing the T-Car, Rae and Star ignoring me, and a spar with Robin. Then I went to sleep. So how come I woke up here instead of…wait. Where was I again?" Beast Boy paused, racking his brain for the answers before he gave up, shaking his head in despair. It was then the shape-shifter noticed the many wires hooked up to him and turned to Cyborg. "Hey, what're you doing?"

"Checkin' on your vitals," the titanium Titan answered simply, typing away at the computer until an image of Beast Boy's body appeared on the screen. Cyborg clicked and picked for a few minutes noticing that everything seemed almost normal. The changeling's heartbeat was steady, breathing pattern normal, and his brain waves were unusually low, just right for Beast Boy. The robotic teen turned on his wheeled chair to stare blankly at the green Titan who had his head tilted to one side.

"Well? What the diagnosis, doc?"

"All my scans are comin' back normal. How can that be?" Cyborg paused, taking a deep breath before shaking his head slowly. "I mean BB you were hit with a lot of electricity. How can you come out of that okay if the electric core was in your brain?"

"I don't remember any electricity. Why was I hit with the voltage?" Beast Boy wrinkled his nose, trying to bring back a memory of what had happened, but found that he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, certain memories were blocked off somehow including all of what had happened that day.

"Slade put a chip in your brain. Remember when you spilled the root beer on the T-Car?" Beast Boy nodded and Cyborg went on. "Well, he put that chip in your head and you almost did some stuff I know you would've regretted. You went beast on everyone. The chip had a self-destruct function and Slade used it. If it wasn't for yours truly performing an emergency operation you'd be long gone."

Beast Boy gaped silently at Cyborg, eyes wide as he spoke. "How did he get the chip? No one gets passed your security. 'Cy builds it nobody breaks it' remember?" The shape-shifter was completely oblivious. At first Cyborg thought it was just the initial shock of coming out of a mini-coma, but almost everything he said seemed to hit Beast Boy particularly hard. Did he have amnesia? No, he couldn't. He remembered the tower and he remembered Slade, he remembered who Cyborg was.

"You stole it for him. He used blackmail to make you his Apprentice." Cyborg spoke slowly and cautiously, almost as if afraid that the beast would appear and take down anything in its path.

"…Like how Robin was?"

"Yeah."

"So he's going after Titans for his Apprentices. You better be careful big guy, or you'll be next!" Beast Boy let out a low whistle before resting his hands on his knees, gaze staring over to the computer absentmindedly before he continued. "Two Apprentices, two Titans. If he goes for a third you better look out. I mean so far Slade's only had guys for his Apprentices."

Cyborg shot him a disbelieving glance before standing, staring directly into Beast Boy's eyes with both his human and bionic eyes. "He had three Apprentices, Beast Boy. You were the third. Remember?"

The shape-shifter returned the disbelieving glance with a cautious one of his own, eyes narrowed slightly and mouth formed into a sort of wince. "I think you need to cut down on the videogames, Cy. They're messing with your mind." Beast Boy stood wagging his finger at Cyborg. "That or you really need to learn how to count."

"You can't tell me…you don't remember…?"

"Remember _what_?" Beast Boy was now wearing an irritated sort of frown while Cyborg put a metal hand on his shoulder.

"Not what, man. _Who_."

"So who am I forgetting then? I remember all you guys. Robin, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, Kid Flash, Jinx, Kole, Gnaark, Jericho, Herald. Need more?" The shape-shifter rolled his eyes with annoyance before falling back onto the bed as Cyborg pushed him backwards slightly. "Hey! What was that for?"

"You're gonna need to sit down for this." Cyborg cautioned him before rubbing the back of his head with a hand. "Remember that blonde girl we met? She thought you were funny?" Beast Boy wore a thoughtful expression for a minute before shaking his head slowly. "She moved mountains, man! You can't tell me you forgot-"

"Friend Beast Boy!" Starfire had burst into the room with a tray laden with a variety of vegetarian snacks from soy cubes to non-dairy waffles. "You are unharmed!" The Tamaranian shoved the tray into Cyborg's arms and enveloped the green shape-shifter in a bone-crushing hug. "I am joyful for you!"

"Star…you're crushing me." Starfire giggled slightly before releasing him from her death-grip. "Um, anyway, what were you saying Cyborg?" The bionic teen took a deep breath before letting it out, ready to speak but was cut off by Robin coming through the door.

"Beast Boy!" The Boy Wonder wore a grin as he dropped down on the changeling's bedspread an arm around his shoulders. "Good to have you back with us. How're you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Beast Boy answered shrugging his shoulders before squirming free of Robin's grip. The shape-shifter sat as close to the edge of his bed as possible keeping a wary eye on the Boy Wonder. "Are _you_ okay, Robin? You're acting kinda…different." He raised an eyebrow slightly before sighing slightly.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I was just wondering if you were okay."

"Well, yeah I'm okay but-"

"Where is Raven?" Starfire piped up out of nowhere, now hovering near the doorway. It was then that the empath phased through the floor hood drawn over her head and eyes peering about cautiously. "Oh. Never mind."

"Hey, Rae. What's up?" Beast Boy flashed her a lopsided grin that she returned by lowering her hood to reveal her oh so famous scowl. "Same old Raven…" The shape-shifter blew a stray bit of hair out of his eyes before turning to Cyborg. "Weren't you saying something?"

"Yeah, I was before everybody and their mother showed up." Cyborg took a deep calming breath, all four other Titan's eyes locked upon him as he spoke. "Beast Boy, do you remember-" For the third time, Cyborg was cut off by someone's appearance through the door. This time it was the very person he had been talking about. Clad in her old Titans uniform and standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest and legs crossed at the ankles as she leaned against the doorframe was "Terra…"

There was a long pause as the geomancer's gaze met the shape-shifter's, hers sparkling with a new life and his glimmering with confusion. Silence reigned the room for a long while as the two stared at each other, Beast Boy's glance wavering to stare at the other four every once in a while and Terra's never leaving his. Then, after nearly two minutes Beast Boy spoke. "Who?"

B&P

Minutes later the Titans minus Beast Boy and Cyborg were gathered in the living room. The other two had gone off to Gamestop looking for the latest videogame. Cyborg wasn't exactly happy about being left out of a conversation as important as this, but someone had to draw the short straw. Robin was leaning against the back of the couch, arms crossed and head inclined. Starfire and Raven were positioned on the couch while Terra stood at the large window overlooking the city, forehead resting upon it.

"He doesn't remember me," the geomancer muttered, eyes closed as she felt the cool glass beneath her forehead. "Why doesn't he remember me?"

"It could just be a form of amnesia," Robin reasoned, a hand on his chin as he voiced his thoughts aloud. "Or the computer chip did manage to get at some of his memories before Cyborg removed it. The ones of you must have been at the top of his mind for that to work, though." The Boy Wonder let out a heavy sigh, gaze wandering to Terra, who at best looked like a truck had run her over.

"Will he ever remember again?" Starfire wondered aloud, green eyes watery and full of worry for her friend. "Or will Beast Boy never be able to look at his memories again?"

"I dunno, Starfire. I don't know…" Robin shook his head slowly, a heavy sigh passing over his lips as he stared at the wall, at a loss of what to do or say. "Some people say certain things, places, people, trigger memories. Maybe if Beast Boy came in contact with one of his triggers he'd remember."

"What do you propose we use as a trigger?" Raven murmured, her eyes wandering to Terra, whose emotions were swimming in many directions from depression, to sadness to anger and back again. "The person we all thought he would never forget was the first to go." The geomancer groaned slightly before turning around to let her gaze travel the room.

"You can't just make someone remember something. They have to _want_ to remember." Terra crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back, her weight against the window. "I never want to remember my father again, so I don't. Even when I have a dream with him in it, it's just a shadow. Beast Boy will only remember what he wants to and it'll take time."

"She is right," Starfire replied with a nod of her head. "When I retrieved friend Terra from the cave before it sealed itself in stone, she did not know who I was. But when I asked her the questions I inquired her about upon our first meeting she remembered."

"But I have memories I want to forget but they stay where they are." Raven shook her head slowly. "You can't just remember something out of the blue. It takes time and it only happens when the time is right."

"It just depends on what kind of person you are whether you can remember the things you want to and forget what you don't want to remember." Robin now stood in the middle of the room trying to break up the fight before it started. "People function differently. It just depends."

"What just depends?" Everyone's eyes wandered from Robin to the source of the voice, which happened to be Beast Boy. He had a videogame case in hand, his eyes wandering to the Gamestation but it jolted back to Terra. He shrugged slightly before drawing his eyes back to Robin. "Hell-o! Earth to Boy Wonder!"

"Nothing, Beast Boy, nothing," Robin responded before flopping down onto the couch between Starfire and Raven. The Boy Wonder picked up the remote control and flipped through the channels, settling on the news that was playing. Cyborg appeared at the elevator, and after a glance around the room made his way to the couch as well. The television screen faded from the newscaster to film taken of part of the quarry just outside the city.

The voice blaring from the television spoke. "The Teen Titans were following a lead on the masked villain, Slade, and ended up the victims of a trap. Ex-Titan Terra the geomancer brought the entire cave down, but no one was hurt. For more on Terra go to our website."

Beast Boy groaned outwardly as the new theme song played completely ignoring the report on what had happened yesterday. "Dudes!" The shape-shifter whined, leaning over the back of the couch, eyes wandering from each Titan to the TV and back again. "I was gonna play Super Ninja Fury 2.0!"

"Later, BB. We're chilling." Cyborg waved a hand over his shoulder before sighing, watching as Robin switched the channel to some sort of crime investigation show. The four Titans on the couch got comfortable as the theme song played, and Beast Boy gave another hiss of disapproval.

"Why watch that when we fight crime every day?"

"It's fun to see how producers portray this kind of thing," Robin replied, an arm now around Starfire's shoulders. She giggled slightly before adding to the Boy Wonder's statement.

"And it is most amusing to try and solve the mystery before the investigators do."

"And it gets you out of the room." Raven's monotone seemed to have a hint of emotion as she shot a glare at Beast Boy, who tossed the game onto the table and headed for the elevator. The empath's gaze wandered to Terra, who was still silent and leaning against the window. "Terra that was your cue…"

The geomancer gave a sort of bemused sort of half-smile before racing across the room towards the elevator and jamming the down button. Terra tapped her foot, arms crossed as she waited for the elevator to return. It opened and she stepped in, hitting the ground level button. Terra let out a sigh as the metal doors closed and she disappeared from sight.

"Maybe _she_ can knock some sense into him…"

B&P

Outside, the sun was hanging low in the sky as Beast Boy sat on the shore of the island, skipping stones, or trying to anyway. Each time he threw it in, it only sank to the bottom. The shape-shifter gave a slight growl, sitting Indian style as he rested an elbow on his knee and his chin on his upturned palm. The light breeze ruffled his hair and he closed his eyes breathing in the crisp evening air.

Unbeknownst to Beast Boy, Terra had made her way outside, too, and was now sitting to the left of him. She pulled her knees into her chest, chin resting upon them as the shape-shifter, still oblivious grabbed another rock and chucked it, making a large splash before sinking to the bottom. Terra couldn't help it. The look of anger on the changeling's face was just too adorable. She let out a slight chuckle, which he did notice. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No, Beast Boy…" She responded shaking her head slightly. "Here, watch." Terra let her eyes glow a faint gold as she picked up a rock and with a snap, it soared across the surface of the water, once, twice, thrice, four times. The geomancer smirked at Beast Boy's awed expression and levitated another stone to the shape-shifter's hand. "Don't _throw_ it. _Toss_ it."

"'Kay." Beast Boy drew his arm back to throw, but just as he was about to release it pulled back and tossed it, watching as it skipped one, two, three, four, _five _times. He pumped his gloved fist in the air before grasping his shoes and rocking back and forth slightly, just as he had so many months again. "I SO beat you," he murmured, a familiar glimmer in his eyes, one that Terra knew all too well. It was hard to see him like this, not remembering all they had been through, but he was still the Beast Boy she remembered, even that lopsided grin of his.

"Yeah, you beat me," Terra answered, shaking her head slightly and laughing again, which of course got him laughing too. Beast Boy drew his eyes away from Terra to stare at the setting sun, spreading an orange-red blanket over the city. The shape-shifter let out a slight whistle, Terra nodding in agreement. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Reminds me of something…" He screwed up his face in thought once more, though still nothing. Beast Boy offered a heavy sigh before giving Terra a sideways glance, examining her with his eyes. "You're so nice and everything. I wish I could remember you…Uh…" The changeling gave a nervous sort of chuckle, ashamed that he had forgotten her name.

"Terra, it's Terra." Her eyes reflected the setting sun and she suddenly got an idea. The geomancer stood, offering a hand to Beast Boy which he took as they stood side by side, watching the sunset. "Beast Boy, I might know someplace that might help find your lost memories. We went there once before…"

His stomach growled slightly and Beast Boy gave a slight chuckle, now patting his hungry stomach. "As long as there's food I'm there. But y'know, I don't eat-"

"I know you're a vegetarian, BB." Terra gave another sigh as she ripped a slab of ground from underneath them, Beast Boy caught off guard and ended up throwing his arms around Terra's waist to keep himself upright. "Um, I forgot to mention I can move the earth?"

"No, Cyborg told me. I just…forgot." Blushing a very strange shade of red mixed with the green of his skin, Beast Boy pulled himself to his feet, arms folded behind his head as he stared out at the horizon. They were getting steadily farther away from Jump City, and by the looks of it they were heading in the general direction of well, he didn't exactly know.

Sensing the slight confusion from her companion, Terra answered his unspoken question. "We're headed to a place where we hung out once. Remember Ben's? Probably not, but you could never forget that pie. You were crazy over it…"

"Pie?" Beast Boy's ears perked slightly as he gave a grin. "This is the restart of a beautiful friendship, Terra."

Upon arriving at the diner, Terra parked their ride in the grass on the edge of the parking lot and hopped off, Beast Boy at her heels and nearly drooling already, kind of like when a dog sees its food but can't eat it yet. She laughed again, making him smile. "I like the way you laugh," the shape-shifter murmured as they walked. "It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Terra raised an eyebrow slightly, shaking her head as he darted in front of her, determined to open the door for her. He bowed slightly as she entered and he followed, the bell atop the door ringing signaling customers had entered.

Upon entering Beast Boy cast a glance around. This place seemed vaguely familiar, though he couldn't quite place where. Terra was already seated at a stool on the bar, spinning slightly before pausing to face the changeling. She grinned and waved him over and he took the seat next to her. When he reached for the menu, however, Terra grabbed his wrist. "I already ordered for us. No worries."

"Pie?" Beast Boy asked hopefully as the waitress slid two plates down the bar stopping directly in front of each of them. "Whoa," the shape-shifter murmured, picking up his fork with a shaking hand and cutting the corner off of his slice of pie. He pulled the fork towards his mouth, stopping when it was inches away and examining it slightly. Shrugging one shoulder Beast Boy shoved the fork in his mouth and chewed slowly. One bite and he slammed the fork down on the table, ready to declare his pie review on the world. "This is the best pie….in the history of pie."

Well, that was it. Surely he would remember saying that at least if he remembered anything at all. Terra heaved a heavy sigh, running her fork along the edge of her plate and feeling like she had failed herself, and Beast Boy. The geomancer kept her gaze averted from his as he drained a glass of soy milk. There was a burp and then he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, now staring blankly at Terra. He shrugged again before practically inhaling the rest of his pie, swallowing the fork in the process. He choked it out and pounded at his chest for a moment before staring at Terra. "And it was even better the second time around."

Her head snapped up as she stared wide-eyed at him. Was it really true? Did he really remember? "You gonna finish that?" Beast Boy gestured to Terra's untouched pie and she gave a laugh, but instead of letting him have it she latched onto his wrist and dragged him outside. "Hey! What are you-" He trailed off blankly as he stared up at the star crossed sky, a shooting star passing overheard. The moon was round and glowing brightly, and Beast Boy suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. "Hey, Terra."

"Hmm?" Terra turned to look over her shoulder as she led them around back. There was a fire escape there, and she started up it with the shape-shifter at her heels.

"Remember how you always loved the stars?"

"Yeah." They were nearly there, to the top. "What about it?"

"Well once when I was reading your diary I made a promise to myself and to you." Beast Boy paused, clambering up through the hole in the last stair and pulling himself up onto the roof of the building. Terra sat at the edge of the front of the building, staring up at the night sky. The changeling fell to a seated position beside her, eyes now entranced with the shooting star directly over them.

"Oh yeah? What is it?" Terra turned to stare at him, anticipating an answer but the answer never came. Instead he drew his gaze back to hers, eyes glimmering slightly as he leaned forward, one hand entangled in her blonde locks, the other on the small of her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling their breaths intertwine as he pulled in, pressing his lips to hers. It couldn't have been more then a minute, but when he pulled away Terra could have sworn they had been locked passionately for hours.

Beast Boy turned back to the sky as if nothing had happened now gripping his shoes again and rocking back and forth. Terra had her head resting on her knees as they gazed upward at the constellations, their shooting star seeming to explode into two different colors, green and yellow. The colors twirled and swirled above them before intertwining into one steady stream of color, both yellow and green. The colors seemed to mean something, but neither of them voiced this opinion aloud.

His words echoed into the night and they would stick in her mind forever. "The day I can count all those stars up there is the day I stop caring about you the way I do."


End file.
